DIY moisture detector

Sharing my idea for a way to indicate when it's time to water.

Grab and Lift? Boom.

Step 1.


Weighed a pot with a typical amount of dry soil in it to get an estimate.

Medicated Bonsai said:

Grab and Lift? Boom.

Click to expand...

Not accurate enough for me Snoop.

I just use a digital probe. Cheap, accurate and no lifting or moving anything.

Step 2.

Weigh a likely counterweight, tried a brick.

Lucky Luke said:

I just use a digital probe. Cheap, accurate and no lifting or moving anything.

Click to expand...

Don't hate the player dog.

Step 3.

Estimate the weight I need for the dimensions wanted. I want 12 inch for the pot and 5 inches for the brick. Weight be about 15 pounds, Jack.

raggyb said:

Don't hate the player dog.

Click to expand...

Not at all, you do whatever you feels good. I'm probably older and I already have a bad back. Anything that avoids lifting is part of the KISS principle to me.

Step 4.

Cut a 1 by to size and cut a groove.

Lucky Luke said:

Not at all, you do whatever you feels good. I'm probably older and I already have a bad back. Anything that avoids lifting is part of the KISS principle to me.

Click to expand...

Yep this is no lifting. So I don't have to untie branches from the frame.

Step 5.

Shove the rod in the groove. (That's what she said.)

Step 6.

Flip the board over. Put the brick on one side and pot on the other. And if this is go time, adjust to balance and mark where balance is just in case things move later so you can put them back.

Step 8


End up means dry. Showing a thin stick can slide under to demonstrate.

Step 9.

A small amount of water to the pot and the end goes down.

End down, still moisture in the soil.

End up. Dry pot. Time to water motherfucker.

CONS: Potential problems if surface not flat. Cannot calibrate easy with a wet pot. Takes a little more footprint than the pot alone.

PROS: Potentially very accurate. Adjustable if you want less dry, add a little weight. You don't have to move the plant to weigh.

Any thoughts?

How are going to estimate the weight of the plant as it grows, constantly shifting position?

and root ball weight?