Ever wonder if you are overwatering your plants? Chances are, the plants are probably getting more water than they need. There are a few obvious overwatering signs. If you can identify these four warning signs, your plant can still thrive!
1. Got brown and wilty leaves? Many mistake this for a dry plant, quite the contrary. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The difference between the overwatering and underwatering is that too little water will result in your plant’s leaves feeling crispy and dry, while too much water results in limp, wilty, and soft leaves and foliage.
2. Stunted slow growth accompanied by yellowing leaves is a symptom of overwatering a plant. You may even see leaves falling off. If the plant has yellowing leaves and old leaves simultaneously, as well as new leaves that are falling at the same accelerated rate – too much water!
3. Roots are the primary source for your plants food, water and oxygen intake. Roots need to take in water, but they also need air to breathe. Healthy soil allows for oxygen to exist in the spaces between soil particles. If the soil is constantly wet, there is not enough air pockets. This means there is a limited oxygen supply and the plant can’t breathe….basically drowning the plant.
4. Blisters and lesions are another sign of overwatering. Water pressure begins to build in the When the roots absorb more water than they can use, the water pressure builds and cells will eventually die and burst, resulting in areas that look like they have lesions or blisters. Once these blisters erupt, brown or white wart-like growths begin to form in their place.
If you sense any of these warning signs may present on your plants, go ahead and gently push your finger an inch or two down in to the soil. If the soil feels moist and wet, it is a strong indication that overwatering has occurred. If you’d like a more sophisticated way to measure soil, your local nursery or home improvement store sells accurate moisture meters. Insert these in the root ball and it will tell you how much water is in the soil.