My favourite houseplant gadgets
Do you remember the aubergine sketch from the show Goodness Gracious Me? It's about a woman who scorns everything she sees in the shop because "I can make it at home with a small aubergine". That's me (minus the aubergine) when it comes to houseplant accessories and gadgets. If I can repurpose something I already have stashed in my cupboard, or make something myself, I do. But there are a few gadgets that have proved game changers for my houseplants...
A pressure sprayer. If you have lots of houseplants to water, this is an absolute must. I saw @goodgrowing using one and suddenly remembered I had one stashed in my storage shed that I'd used to apply some paving treatment years ago. I washed it out several times and started using it to water my cacti and succulents in the greenhouse, and also plants inside. You can also use it to wash down plants. You pump the handle several times to build up pressure, then hold the trigger to water: despite the name, the water doesn't really spray, especially if you use it mine the spray wand. Mine has a 5 litre capacity so my trips to the waterbutt/tap are vastly reduced. I can't remember where min came from, but this and this look like good options.
A hand lens. Do not assume all pests are visible to the naked eye. Red spider mites, as well as the younger life cycles of mealy bugs, thrips and some other pests, are too teeny to see unless under magnification, so you won't realise you have a problem until it is way too late. A hand lens (minimum magnification x10 or above) helps enormously. My original loupe was this Ruper model; but I recently bought this one from Vivosun which has an LED light and a UV light too - although I suspect it won't be as durable - and you can wear the Ruper one round your neck on a cord, which is handy. You can also buy lenses that clip onto your phone.
A Soil Sleuth. I am not a fan of moisture meters - I find they don't last long. But I love the Soil Sleuth, a completely 'manual' form of soil tester that's great for bigger pots where you can't stick your finger in to test whether watering is required. Stick in the Soil Sleuth and twist, then pull it back out, and you get five mini soil samples from different depths showing you what's going on with your substrate. Very handy, and it will literally last forever.
What are your go-to gadgets for your plants? Drop me a line to let me know!
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