plant care
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Why cheap soil meters lie to you
A pound shop moisture meter reports a number on a scale that has nothing to do with your soil. Here is what is actually being measured and why ...
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Watering tomatoes without splitting them
Split tomato skins and blossom end rot both come from inconsistent watering rather than too little. Here is how to keep moisture steady through the season.
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Blueberries are fussier than you think
Blueberries have shallow roots and no root hairs, which makes them unusually quick to suffer in dry soil. What that means for watering and soil acidity.
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One probe per trough, not per plant
Putting a sensor in every pot is usually a waste. Think in watering zones instead, and site one probe where it represents the whole group.
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Reading the curve, not the number
A single moisture percentage is a snapshot. The shape of the drying curve tells you about your soil, your mulch and whether the container is big enough.