Moisture meter ?

[flowerchild]

Bought a pomegranate prebonsai middle of last September. It was in a plastic bonsai training pot, and was potted in soil. It was good soil and drained well. So, when it started to get buds all over it this late winter, I re potted it. I got some deciduous bonsai soil. 50% akadama, 25% pumice, 25% black lava, with a touch of haydite and a touch of charcoal. With the soil, I could brush aside the gravel top layer and see the dirt, and could see if it was getting dry or not, and I knew when to water. With the bonsai soil it's not so easy to tell if it's dry or not. So, I bought a moisture tester. It's a two probe type that reads moisture, PH, and light. I watered on Sunday, and received my tester on Tuesday. I inserted the tester in the soil Tuesday night, the meter moved from zero, to about 3 (dry). T waited 10 min. and it didn't change. So the next morning I watered it well. Inserted the probe once again, and it went to maybe 3 and one quarter. I let it sit 10 min. and it went up to maybe 3.5. Why doesn't my moisture meter work? Thank you all.

 

[flowerchild]

Never mind. I read some recommended posts, and got my answers. I thank you all very much. And you haven't heard the last of me.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Best moisture meter ever invented is the human finger. Really, just dig the finger in, at least half an inch. Then lift the pot up and notice the weight. A dry pot will be light, a pot with wet media will be heavy. Using your finger you can calibrate your sense of heft, or weight. In no time you will be able to tell if a tree needs water just by picking it up.

Others insert a bamboo skewer, like the ones used for satay or shish kabobs. Leave the skewer in the pot. WHen you pull the skewer, the wet zone,, will be dark on the skewer. As the media dries out, the skew color changes back to light.

Most moisture meters are not worth the money.

 

[Ali Raza]

I got moisture meter, but having more than 50 plants is hell of tedious work to do. I think @Leo in N E Illinois approach seems far more appealing.

 

[akhater]

Good thing you started with a pomegranate a very hardy tree well done and do share pictures...

For watering don't complicate your life. Free draining soil and water every day...

Btw in my climate pomegranate are pretty thirsty plants and you will see it wilting when it is thirsty you can get an idea just by keeping it without water until it starts wilting and you will know your threshold

 

[akhater]

How it will look thirsty

 

[sorce]

Water like root rot is a myth.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Best moisture meter ever invented is the human finger

The old heat seeking moisture missle!