How to Check Soil Moisture With a Chopstick

It's easy to tell if soil is moist when it's the surface is wet. However, once that top layer dries, it becomes a bit more difficult to figure out the soil's moisture content. It could be soggy under that deceptively dry surface, or it could be bone dry. When growing potted plants with specific moisture requirements – such as the paddle plant that requires the top 2 inches of soil to dry between waterings – it is vital to the plant's health to have a surefire way of measure moisture in the soil. A wooden chopstick provides that method.

Wooden chopstick
Tape measure

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the planting container to determine the soil’s depth. If the pot is filled to within one-half or 1 inch of the rim, deduct that amount from the total depth.
- 2
  Stick the chopstick into the soil to the bottom of the planting container halfway between the plant's main stem and the side of the pot. Allow it to sit in the soil for five minutes.
- 3
  Pull the chopstick out and look at it. If soil sticks to it or if it is wet, measure the distance from the bottom of the chopstick to the top of the wet or soiled portion with a tape measure. Deduct this measurement from the pot's depth measurement to learn how many inches of the soil are dry.
- 4
  Water the plant immediately if the chopstick is completely dry when you pull it from the soil, unless the plant's care requirements specify otherwise.

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