Plant BuddhaTroubleshooting
Overwatered or underwatered? How to tell the difference
A drooping plant is a worried plant, and the worry is usually about water. The tricky part is that too much and too little can look alike at first. Here's how to tell them apart.
Signs of too little water
- Soil is dry and may pull away from the pot's edge
- Leaves droop, curl or feel thin and crispy
- Tips and edges turn brown and dry
- The pot feels very light when you lift it
Signs of too much water
- Soil stays wet or soggy for days, sometimes with a sour smell
- Lower leaves turn yellow and drop
- Stems or the base feel soft and mushy
- Tiny fungus gnats hovering near the soil
- Drooping even though the soil is damp (roots are struggling to breathe)
The quickest check
Check the soil two inches down and lift the pot. Dry and light means thirsty. Damp and heavy means wait.
How to rescue
- Thirsty plant: give it a deep drink. If the soil has turned hard and water runs straight off, soak the pot in a few inches of water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Soggy plant: stop watering, make sure the pot drains, and move it somewhere bright. If it's very wet or smells bad, slide it out, trim any black or mushy roots, and repot in fresh, airy soil.
The kind truth: overwatering is the most common way houseplants are lost, and it usually comes from caring too much. Wait for the soil to ask.