Signs That Your Plants Are Overwatered

If you had to ask us for the most common reason for the death of house plants, it would have to be… overwatering them!

The fact that you’re reading this most likely means you’re not aware that overwatering plants is the quickest way towards shortening their lives. Overwatering is a very common mistake, but thankfully, that also means it is easy to rectify!

How do I know if I am overwatering my plant?

The first thing to do when diagnosing an overwatered plant is to feel the soil a few inches deep. If it feels moist or wet, this is one of the most common signs that it has been overwatered. 

The commonly made mistake of going at your plants with the watering can too often leads to the soil in the pot not being given enough time to dry out between each watering session. Space out your watering sessions more generously. The fact is, most plants do not need to be watered that often!

However, if you have been watering your plant correctly but it doesn’t get enough sunlight, then the potting mix will effectively remain in a constant wet state and this can also lead to overwatering. The best way to avoid this is to water your plants in the morning hours, before the sun comes out in full force and proceeds to evaporate the water off in the soil. This prevents the plant from sitting in a wet potting mix for too long. Easy!

Another sign of overwatering could be the presence of fungus gnats. These are tiny bugs that look like fruit flies and they feed on the fungi that grow in moist soils. If you have fungus gnats, you may be overwatering or not allowing your soil to properly dry out properly between waterings. So try watering less and letting the soil dry out, and these gnats will be gone too.

Lastly, another sign could be the yellowing or blackening at the base or the lower leaves of your plant. Look out for these signs early on, otherwise, when the mushyness or root rot hits, it probably signals the end of your plant’s life.

Start a better watering habit for your plants!

In summary, only water your plant when the potting mix is dry (feel the soil a few inches deep to determine that) and ensure your plant has enough sunlight and warmth to help the soil dry out efficiently. Repotting into a planter with drainage holes to accelerate the drainage of water could also be something you could  consider.