Does Your Plant Have a Drinking Problem? Common Signs Of Overwatering Plants and How to Treat Them
Too much water can actually kill your plants – and it's easier to do than you may think. Learn the signs of overwatering plants and how to reverse them.
Heather Rhoades
Yes, your plants need to be watered, but missing the signs of overwatering your plants is a recipe for disaster. Though most people know that too little water can kill a plant, they are surprised to find out that too much water for a plant is often worse.
Overwatering plants can lead to an increase in pathogens and disease and can rob your plant of available nutrients and oxygen. If the issue has already arisen, what can you do for an overwatered plant? Can overwatered plants recover on their own?
I’ll help you learn to recognize the signs of an overwatered plant, so you never make this common watering mistake again. Then I’ll share what you need to do in order to save a plant that’s suffering from too much water.
Why Too Much Water Is Bad for Plants
The reason why plants are affected by too much water is that they need to breathe in order to thrive. Plants breathe through their roots and when there is too much water, the roots cannot take in the necessary gases. Overwatering is actually slowly suffocating your plants.
Common Signs of Overwatering Plants
It seems the sort of universal sign of an overwatered plant is yellowing leaves, but the fact is that several things can cause chlorosis in foliage. So what are some other signs to look for? Some common signs of an overwatered plant are:
- Yellowing leaves and leaves turning brown at the tip. The lower and inner leaves are the first to exhibit symptoms.
- Wilting
- Dropping both new and old leaves
- Young leaves turning brown
- Rotted or stunted roots
- No new growth
- Leaves, stems, and blooms becoming moldy from leaf spot or other fungal diseases.
- Soil that appears green (caused by algae)
- You can often detect an unpleasant odor as well. This may be from moldy foliage, stem, or blooms, but may also be coming from mildewy roots below the soil surface.
- The final symptom of overwatering is the death of the plant.
Unfortunately, the signs of an overwatered plant are very similar to that of an underwatered plant. So always consider how often and how much you have been watering your plant to determine which cause is behind these similar signs.
How to Fix Overwatered Plants
If the damage from overwatering is caught early and isn’t severe, an overwatered plant will likely recover with no assistance from you. The key here, though, is that the damage isn’t severe.
If however, the damage has reached the root system and root rot is evident or most of the foliage has dropped, the prospect is more dire and will require an application of fungicide, like this one from Amazon.
On that note, however, brown to black roots in and of themselves are a physical condition that may be caused by a pathogen or from just sitting in standing water for too long.
If only a few roots exhibit root rot, I recommend repotting your plant after a good root pruning to remove any rotting roots first. This might be enough for the plant to rebound.
How to Avoid Overwatering Plants
The best way to fix an overwatered plant is prevention. Set timers, make sure your soil is well-draining, have sufficient drainage holes in potted containers, and stick to a watering schedule.
Know your plants. Be familiar with the ones that prefer supplemental irrigation and those that are drought tolerant. Also, be sure to reduce watering during the winter months when plants are dormant.
Get your fingers dirty. Stick your fingers into the top 2 inches (5 cm) of your potted plant’s soil. If it is dry to the touch, it’s time to water. Outside, dig down about 6 inches (15 cm), the approximate depth to the root ball and access the soil at that level. If it’s dry, go ahead and irrigate. If not, don’t water the plant.
Don’t let plants sit in standing water. Pay attention to drip trays or saucers and dump standing water out of them. This will also reduce the incidence of those pesky fungus gnats. If you find that your plant has a drainage problem that is causing too much water for a plant, then correct this issue as soon as possible.
Learn how to water properly. Plants benefit most from a slow, deep watering about once per week. Make sure to water at the base of the plant, not on the foliage, which can result in fungal disease.
Now this varies depending upon the plant, so again, familiarize yourself with the watering needs of different species. Also, the recommended amount is 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, but again, this varies from plant to plant.
Lastly, purchase a moisture meter, like this one from Amazon, to help you assess the wetness or dryness of your soil.
Tools to Prevent Overwatering
This moisture meter takes the guesswork out of deciding whether your plants are getting too much water or not enough.
This set of simple and stylish planters all come with plenty of drainage holes, so no standing water here!
This moisture control potting mix from Miracle-Gro helps prevent both overwatering and underwatering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you tell if you're overwatering or underwatering a plant?
If your plant has yellowing leaves with brown tips, foliage that is prematurely dropping, or a foul odor, it may very well be overwatered. Conversely, if the soil is pulling away from the sides of its pot, if the soil feels dry 2 inches (5 cm) down, the plant is wilted and its leaves are browning and crunchy, it is likely underwatered. You can also buy a plant watering meter that will help you gauge when to water.
How often should you water plants?
Generally, plants should be watered with about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. This will vary according to the type of plant, the time of year, the weather, stage of growth, temperature and humidity, and even type of soil. Because of all the variables, it’s a good idea to check for dryness by either sticking your finger a couple of inches (5 cm) down into the soil or by using a water meter before watering.
