Is Your Plant Overwatered or Underwatered?
One of the most troubling experiences as a plant parent is not knowing whether your ill plant is overwatered or underwatered. As silly as this conundrum may seem, it is super common among new gardeners. In this post, I outline the symptoms of overwatering vs. underwatering plants!
Signs of Overwatering
Wet soil
Obvs, if your plant's soil is constantly wet and experiencing other negative symptoms, it is almost definitely overwatered. In some extreme cases, soil can become so wet that it develops mold or a bad smell. If your plant is so overwatered that it is moldy or smelly, you'll likely need to repot it.
Blisters on the leaves
During the early stages of overwatering, plants often try to take up more water than they can handle. As they absorb more and more water, pressure builds up, causing cells to burst. When the plant's cells burst, they look like blisters on the underside of leaves. These blisters are a common sign of overwatering.
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves can be a sign of both overwatering and underwatering (ugh!), so this diagnostic is a bit tricky. If your plant has yellow leaves that fade to light yellow or green, this more often indicates overwatering. In overwatered plants, yellow leaves are also typically limp rather than crisp or curling. When in doubt, look for other signs!
Limp brown leaves
Brown leaves can also appear on overwatered and underwatered plants. However, like yellow leaves, brown leaves on overwatered plants are usually limp, not crisp. Additionally, overwatering can cause brown spots with yellow edges to appear in the middle of leaves. In underwatered plants, brown spots usually start at the tips of leaves rather than the middle.
Wilting
If your plant is wilting, this could be another sign of overwatering or underwatering. Unfortunately, the difference between overwatered wilting and underwatered wilting is subtle: in an overwatered plant, the wilting won't get better after you water it. If you're unsure whether your wilting is due to overwatering or underwatering, look for other symptoms!
Stems or leaves feel mushy
In a very overwatered plant, you'll notice the stem or leaves feeling mushy or "pruney," like your fingertips when you spend a long time in the water. This softness is usually most noticeable at the base of the plant. If your plant is so overwatered that it is mushy, you might need to repot it!
Signs of Underwatering
Dry soil
Dry soil, or soil that is pulling away from the sides of its container, is a sure sign of underwatering. If your plant shows other signs of underwatering but does not have dry soil, it might have a different problem, like pests or nutrient deficiency.
Yellow leaves
If your plant's leaves (especially those low on the plant!) turn yellow, you might want to grab your watering can. However, remember that yellow leaves can be a sign of both overwatering and underwatering. Unlike overwatered yellow leaves, underwatered yellow leaves usually turn crisp and brown within a few days of turning yellow.
Brown, crisp and curling leaves
Curling, crispy or lightweight brown leaves are another sign of underwatering. Unfortunately, brown leaves are common in both overwatered and underwatered plants. But again, overwatered brown leaves are usually soft and limp rather than crisp and crushable. If you're unsure what your brown leaves mean, look for other indicators!
Wilting
Wilting is one of the first signs of underwatering. In my experience, wilting occurs within the first few hours of underwatering my vegetable garden. Like many of these symptoms, wilting can happen in both overwatered and underwatered plants. When in doubt, give your plant some water. If the plant perks up after you water it, you know that it was underwatered. If the plant does not perk up, it might actually be overwatered. In that case, look for other signs of overwatering!
Lightweight soil
An easy way to check if your container plants are overwatered or underwatered is simply to pick them up. If the plant feels relatively lightweight for its size, it is more likely underwatered. If it feels heavy for its size, it is likely overwatered.