What’s wrong with my houseplant?

Common houseplant issues relating to watering and how to fix them.

When it comes to houseplants, they aren’t all shiny leaves and pretty flowers, sometimes they can be high maintenance, but we love them all the same! In this blog we will be highlighting some of the most common houseplant issues related to watering and how to fix them to help your plants to thrive.

Watering Your Houseplants

Some of the most common houseplant issues come down to watering, whether that’s overwatering or underwatering. Both can be easily done, however being able to identify when this has occurred and taking steps to treat this can make all the difference in ensuring your plants survive and thrive.

How to check if your houseplant needs watered

When it comes to watering your houseplants, it is better to give your them a good watering then wait until the soil starts to dry out, rather than watering little and often.

Here are 3 ways to check if your houseplant needs watering:

1. Feel – Check the moisture at the top two inches of the soil, if it is dry to touch the plant will need watering, if it is still damp leave a little longer.

2. Weight – If the plant is heavy to lift this could mean the plant is overly saturated and holding too much water, if the plant is lighter that usual this could mean it is dried out and needs attention.

3. A moisture meter – for those of you who have a growing houseplant collection, this may be a worthwhile investment to monitor all of your plants. These can be expensive, so they are not a necessity, but if you are looking to make your life easier it can be a great way to alert you when your plants need watered.

Methods for Watering Houseplants

Top Watering

Watering your houseplant soil from the top and allowing the water to filter through is the most traditional way of watering. This method is the easiest, but not always the best way to water. It is advised if using this method to have a drip tray at the bottom of your plant to collect any excess water that drains through.

Dunking Watering

This is a good method if the compost has dried out fully. By filling a large bowl or bucket, then submerging the plant until it reaches the top of the pot, bubbles will appear and when they stop (this can take a few minutes) this means the roots have been fully saturated.

7 signs of overwatering your houseplants

1. Wet soil
2. Flowers become mouldy
3. Leaves becoming limp and wilted
4. Yellowing of leaves on new and old growth which then fall off
5. Leaves may become dark brown
6. Presence of fungal gnats or fungal infections
7. Root Rot

Plants that will forgive you for overwatering

• Ferns
• Spike Moss
• Umbrella Plant

• Babys Tears
• Pitcher Plants
• Strelitzia

• Peace Lily
• Lucky Bamboo
• Zebra Plant

5 signs of under watering your houseplants

1. Leaves become limp and wilted, sometimes faded or see-through.
2. Flowering plants may not reach the blooming stage
3. The older leaves may start dropping off
4. Soil feels dry
5. Leaf edges become dry and brown

Plants that will forgive you for under watering

• Mother in laws tongue (Sansevieria)
• Ficus Elastica (Rubber Fig)
• Ponytail Palm
• Cast Iron Plant

• ZZ Plant
• Cacti
• Succulents
• Living Stones (Lithops)

• Aloe Vera
• Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
• Burros Tail (Sedum)

Watering your houseplants throughout the seasons

Winter

In Winter some plants due to the colder temperatures and less daily light will go into a dormant period meaning they may require very little water. Some plants could go from watering once every week, to once every two weeks, or even once every four weeks. Common plants that do this are cacti and succulents.

Summer

In summer because of the warmer air and long periods of light, houseplants will require more watering. Due to this being their growing season, it is better to keep soil moist (not soaked) for best results.

Find out more houseplant advice in our how to ‘look after houseplants’ blog HERE.