Gardenline Moisture Meter + Gardenline pH Meter
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The first batch of gardening supplies for the coming season recently dropped at Aldi. This week, I spotted planters, mini trellises, seed starting trays, seed starting pellets, and even a gorgeous wooden plant stand.
I also found some intriguing new products I can’t recall ever seeing before at Aldi. One is a moisture meter, and the other is a pH meter. Both of these little gadgets consist of a metal stake that you insert into the soil, either in a pot or directly in the garden, and a meter at the top immediately indicates how dry or moist the soil is and whether the soil is alkaline, acidic, or neutral.
Neither of these devices requires any batteries, so they’re simple to use.
The Gardenline Moisture Meter and the Gardenline pH Meter are both Aldi Finds. That means they’re in stores for just a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, they’re gone. Aldi does not offer online ordering for products that are out of stock at your local store.
We buy Aldi products using our own funds. I paid $6.99 each for these in March of 2025. That’s on the lower end of prices for similar moisture meters and pH meters on Amazon.
These are sold under the Gardenline brand. That’s not a company. Rather, it’s the private label Aldi uses for gardening supplies it sells, which it sources from various suppliers.
The packages describe these as “a practical tool to help look after your plants.” The packages also state these are “easy to use — just stick it in the soil.”
Each meter comes with a simple instruction sheet. Here’s more info on each of the meters.
Gardenline Moisture Meter:
The user manual states this device allows you to easily determine the moisture content of soil. It’s suitable for use in loose soils, plant soil, sand, and similar materials.
It’s not suitable for use on hard materials, liquids, or food. Don’t insert it into hard ground, and do not bend the measuring rod or leave it in soil for prolonged periods of time.
To use, insert the meter vertically and ensure it is at least two thirds of the way into the soil. Read the measurement that is displayed:
- 1-3 = dry
- 4-7 = moist
- 8-10 = wet
Pull the measuring rod back out of the soil as soon as you are finished taking the reading. Clean the rod with a soft, damp cloth.
I tried this in several potted plants throughout my house, and it seems accurate. I think this will be a useful gadget for letting me know when it’s time to water certain plants or when it’s time to hold back on the watering.
Gardenline pH Meter:
The user manual states this device allows you to easily determine the pH value of soil. It’s suitable for use in loose soils, plant soil, sand, and similar materials.
It’s not suitable for use on hard materials, liquids, or food. Don’t insert it into hard ground, and do not bend the measuring rod or leave it in soil for prolonged periods of time.
To use, insert the meter vertically and ensure it is at least two thirds of the way into the soil. Read the measurement that is displayed:
- <7 = acidic
- 7 = neutral
- >7 = alkaline
Pull the measuring rod back out of the soil as soon as you are finished taking the reading. Clean the rod with a soft, damp cloth.
I tried this in potted plants throughout my house, and most of the soil is pretty neutral. Most plants thrive in a pH of 6 to 7. Some plants like blueberries or azaleas do better with more acidic soil. Other plants like asparagus or ferns like soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. There are also hydrangeas, which tend to bloom blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil. If you want to change your soil’s pH, there are plenty of resources out there on how to do that.
I’m guessing the Aldi meter is fairly accurate, but I don’t have any other soil pH test kits on hand at the time of writing to confirm how accurate it is. If any readers have compared the Aldi meter to other pH readings, we’d love to hear from you.
The Verdict:
The Gardenline Moisture Meter and the Gardenline PH Meter are simple metal rods with small meters at the top. They don’t need any batteries to operate. Simply stick the rod into your soil and read the result immediately. These are neat little devices for avid gardeners.
