Overwatering is not really about the amount you pour in each time; a well-drained pot lets the extra run out. It is about how often. If you water again before the mix has had a chance to dry, the air spaces around the roots stay full of water, the roots run short of oxygen and start to die.
Signs of too much water: yellowing leaves, leaves dropping, soft or mushy stems, a sour or rotten smell from the mix, fungus gnats flying up when you touch the pot, and wilting even though the mix is wet.
Signs of too little water: wilting with dry mix, dry and brittle leaves, brown crispy tips or edges, curling leaves, and mix shrinking away from the side of the pot.
Both problems can cause wilting and leaf drop, so always pair what you see with the finger test. If the mix is wet, let it dry, check that the drainage holes are clear and, if the smell is bad, look at the roots. Healthy roots are usually firm and white or pale; rotten ones are dark and mushy. If the mix is dry, water thoroughly, bottom watering if needed.
Key points
- Overwatering is usually watering too often, not too much at once.
- Wet mix plus yellowing, mushiness or a bad smell points to too much water.
- Dry mix plus crispy edges and shrinking soil points to too little.
Try this
Choose one plant with a problem leaf. Do the finger test, then decide whether the signs match too much or too little water. Write your guess in your plant notes.
Check yourself
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Sources
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