Mold on Skewers

[Maree]

For the last 20 years I used the skewer method to determine my watering schedule without an issue with mold. Not sure why recently the wooden skewers are getting moldy within 24 hours.
I’ve seen a suggestion to coat the skewers with nail polish and my local orchid guy suggested spraying the wooden skewers w Neem oil prior to using.
Any thought? Or other ideas? Thank you Mel

[Roberta]

Mel-
As I noted in the old thread... if you just stick the skewer in the plant for a few minutes when you want to check it, and feel if it is wet or not, you won't have the problem of leaving it in the plant and having it get mold. You would not want to put anything on the wood that would make it not absorb water, that would defeat the purpose.

You should, of course, use a different skewer for each plant, no sharing!

[estación seca]

I think you just were lucky. Damp wood in the dark always gets moldy unless it's been treated.