Why does sticking a knife in a houseplants help?

It was listed as helpful hints on your web site



  10 answers
  • Nancels Nancels on Sep 13, 2020

    I’m trying to read this too but the page changes before I can read the article. Very big tease!🙃

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Sep 13, 2020

    It's about the water and soil:


    https://www.hometalk.com/diy/grow/plants/the-secret-to-keeping-houseplants-alive-44333856

  • If you slide the knife into the soil and it comes out with wet soil, your plant does not need watering.

  • Janice Janice on Sep 13, 2020

    This is a similasr concept to the old "toothpick routine" of testing the doneness of a cake or cupcakes. :)

  • Ken Erickson Ken Erickson on Sep 13, 2020

    It could also break up the soil and allow for better growth, but I suspect that the other answers are better.

  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Sep 13, 2020

    Hi! You read the newsletter today! It is the same method you use when baking a cake, or sticking your finger into a potted plant. You are checking for moisture. If the soil is dry about one inch down, the plant needs to be watered. I always stick my finger in to the first joint on my index finger. If I feel dampness, it's good and doesn't need to be watered. Good luck and stay safe!

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Sep 13, 2020

    Hello, a pencil might work or this soil moisture test too....

  • Morgan McBride Morgan McBride on Sep 13, 2020

    You cna notch the stem which encourages branching

    • Em Em on Sep 13, 2020

      That was not was the post was for. It was incorrectly captioned by the Hometalk team as such. It was sticking a plastic knife into the soil to see if the soil was wet or not.

  • Deb K Deb K on Sep 13, 2020

    Hi Diana, it is used as a gauge for how wet the soil is.

  • Mogie Mogie on Sep 14, 2020

    Many people growing pot do this and it is called splitting stems. It is a method used to increase production by stressing a cannabis plant encourages it to take up more nutrients, which in turn results in more vegetative growth and heavier harvests.