How much should you water your plants?
Most house plants are easy to take care of as long as their basic needs are met. A common mistake that many plant owners make is overwatering. It’s not only about pouring too much water on your plant, but also watering too often. If you are worried about overwatering, here are some signs to look out for.
Wilting plant
If your potted plant is wilting despite regular watering, you should check the soil. If the soil is damp, you might be overwatering. To prevent this from happening, make sure that you only water when the soil starts to dry. Remember, you should not only look at the surface but rather check the soil further down. Different plants require different amounts of water and the seasons also affect the amount of water needed.
Brown leaves
If the plant leaves start to turn brown, ease up on your watering. Check the soil to make sure that it is dry before you water again. If, however, the soil is dry and the leaves are brown, it might mean that you are not watering enough.
Edema
Edema is when the plant absorbs excessive water. This causes the cells of the plant to expand and it causes great structural stress on the plant. Check the plant for blisters or lesions. This is a good indication of edema. Also, you can also look for dark or white scar tissues and indentations on the top sides of the plant leaves.
Yellow leaves
If new leaves are turning yellow and falling from the plant, this could mean overwatering. Cut back on the frequency of your watering and see if this helps. Make sure that you water according to the recommended schedule, do not flood the soil, and make sure that the pot has drainage holes too.
Rotting roots
If the roots of the plant start to rot, there’s not much you can do. This usually occurs when you keep the soil too wet for extended periods of time. The wetness causes the roots to rot and this kills the plant. If you have several plants in a single pot and one of them is suffering from root rot, you should remove that plant immediately. Leaving it to die and decay can affect the health of your other plants.