It’s been argued that the leading cause of death for houseplants every year is overwatering. New plant parents are especially at risk with a deep desire to keep their plants alive and healthy but not enough experience to know the tell-tale signs of overwatering.
If you think you’re prone to overwatering your houseplants or you know a loved one at risk, don’t wait, read this article to keep a houseplant safe.
1) Leaves are browning or yellowing
The leaves on your houseplant browning or yellowing are a possible sign of overwatering. If your plant has been happy and healthy up until your last watering and you’re now noticing these signs, it’s possible you’ve overwatered the houseplant.
2) Very wet soil and wilting leaves
If the soil is exceptionally wet even though you watered the plant yesterday, it’s possible you’ve overwatered the houseplant. You might also notice the leaves starting to wilt a bit, this means the leaves are droopier than usual and lack their normal rigidity.
3) Leaves are falling off your plant
For some houseplants, the leaves will start to fall off when they’ve been overwatered (or underwatered for that matter).
How to Fix it
If you notice any of these signs in your houseplant, the first thing you should do is check the soil. Stick your finger and feel about 1 or 2 inches deep, if the soil is wet (and you see the signs above), you might want to reduce the amount of watering you’re feeding your houseplant. Most houseplants don’t do well when their soil is drowned for extended periods of time and in many cases, this can cause root rot.
If you notice the soil is wetter than it should be, check the drainage holes in the planter aren’t blocked. Sometimes, rocks or clumps can block the drainage hole, causing water to sit in the planter longer than the plant can take it in.
Depending on the plant, you can usually also remove the plant from the planter, clean off the wet soil and repot it with dry fresh soil.
Should you have any questions about whether or not your houseplant has been overwatered, feel free to contact us through Instagram (@folhaoasis). We’re happy to help!
