All orchids need certain levels of moisture within their potting media mix (as do all other plants) and of course, those levels of moisture greatly depend on which type, species or genera of orchids you are growing.

You could employ the old fashioned method which requires that you pock a finger deep into the soil and feeling just how wet or dry it is.

Needless to say, that is a dirty business which many orchid growers just like you want to avoid and now there can. Besides, fingers are very inaccurate gauges.

Since the advent of moisture meters, you can prevent over or under watering your orchid plants in a much more precise manner without spoiling your manicure or soiling your hands.

There are a number of moisture meters available in the current market and they can be readily found in just about any gardening supply center or home improvement and landscaping venders. Most of these mechanical devices operate on a scale system of 1 through 10, with 10 showing excessive wetness, 1 showing complete dryness and then there is the range between the two extremes. Many moisture meters also feature a color gauge of red, green and blue zones; with the red zone indicating that the plant needs to be watered, the green zone indicating medium or moderate moisture and the blue zone indicating that the soil is saturated with too much water. The higher end moisture meters have added functions such as those measuring lighting, the acidity of soil and some other factors.

Structurally, all moisture meters have a head or a gauge end from where you pick up the registered data and then a long spike which is the part that probes for the desired information.

Although today’s moisture meters are relatively inexpensive and surprisingly easy to use, here are some useful tips:

  • Intricate or plain, choose the moisture meter which strikes your fancy.
  • Hold the meter by its head and plunge the probe portion approximately three-quarters of the way down the pot where the largest concentration of orchid roots is found.
  • Now read the data registered on your moisture meter and compare that to the need of your particular orchid plants.

Because the measures are returned almost immediately, you can use a single moisture meter on all your potted orchid plants. To prevent transferring of disease, be sure to disinfected its probe before inserting it from one pot to the next.

For more valuable information about orchid plant supplies or how-to tips, look around this Orchid Care.org site thorough and as frequently as you need.

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Filed under: Orchid Supplies

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