You can get waterlogged or overwatered soil to dry out by either repotting the plant or creating an environment that encourages the plant to lose water through evaporation. You could also try relocating the plant to an area that receives more sunlight or has better ventilation overall.
Adding inorganic amendments such as perlite or pumice to a houseplant potting mix can make a huge difference to drainage, and help the soil dry out much faster.
Add Organic Material
Aside from adding fertility, organic material is also great for breaking up heavy dense soils. By mixing and bonding with soil particles it allows for more air space and drainage. As a side note adding organic material can also help dry soils hold moisture.
Poor Drainage
No matter what kind of indoor plant you grow, drainage holes are essential. A container or pot with inadequate drainage or no holes is bad for the health of the plant. Wet soil is most frequently caused by pots without any holes in them. If you are cultivating aquatic plants at home, moist soil is best.
That potting soil is worn out because the peat moss has decomposed. That peat moss can decompose even if you never take it out of the bag. If your potting soil has been sitting in your shed since last year in an opened bag and it's gotten wet, toss it.
Make a ball of soil and drop it. If the ball crumbles, your garden is ready for seeds. If it holds its shape or breaks into two clumps, it's still too wet for planting. You can also step into the garden and then step back and look at the footprint you've left in the soil.
In extreme situations where the soil is almost constantly waterlogged the only answer might be to install drains that lead to some sort of soakaway. French drains are among the simplest drains, suitable for most gardens with a gentle slope that will enable water to trickle away via gravity.
Set the pot in a shallow container of water (if size allows), allowing the soil to slowly absorb the water. This technique is known as bottom watering. It may take an hour or more to thoroughly re-wet the soil. Be careful not to leave pots soaking in standing water continuously.
Roots growing in waterlogged soil may die because they cannot absorb the oxygen needed to function normally. The longer the air is cut off, the greater the root damage. The dying roots decay and cannot supply the plants with nutrients and water. Damage caused by over watering is frequently misdiagnosed as pest damage.
Using a hairdryer directly on the soil is an easy way of removing that excess moisture easily. However, there are some things to take into consideration when doing so. When directed at the soil the dryer will only remove the moisture from the surface having the rest of the soil wet.
The good news is that most plants will bounce back between 7-14 days if they're given proper care (which includes rehydration). If this isn't possible because major damage was done or little healthy root system exists then expect about 2 weeks until improvement can be seen.
House plants can recover from overwatering pretty quickly if given: bright light, preferably from a grow light so it won't burn. High humidity. warm temperatures.
Most plants benefit from drying out completely between waterings; some moisture-loving plants like ferns can be watered again when the soil is mostly dry. Step 2: If the soil is dry, fill a watering can or vessel with room temperature water.
Amending the soil to improve its drainage qualities is the best way to fix the problem. Several amendment additives, such as peat or compost, can be used to dry up muddy soil, depending on the severity of the issue. Peat moss is a highly absorbent material that works very well in problem areas.
One of the most frequent issues plant owners have is overwatering. After watering, the soil around the plant should remain moist for a while to allow the plant to receive the nutrients and water it needs. 2 to 4 hours after watering, the soil should still be moist.
Waterlogged soils exclude oxygen from the roots thus causing decline of the plants. What happens is the roots die off leaving the plant unable to uptake the needed moisture and nutrients for proper plant growth.
Water the root area before fertilizing. The soil around the roots should be completely moist. If a plant is stressed by flooding, wait to fertilize until the excess water is absorbed or the fertilizer will simply run off.
3. How Long Can You Store Potting Soil? Opened bags of new potting soil can retain quality for around 6 to 12 months. For unopened and unused potting soil, you can store it for about a year or two before it goes bad.
When plants have too little water, leaves turn brown and wilt. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The biggest difference between the two is that too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Look out for signs of overwatering – including a limp plant, yellowing leaves, or dropping leaves. If you see these signs, test the soil with your fingers. It should be pretty obvious if it's soggy! Stop watering and let the soil dry out.
Yellow Leaves + Fading to Green + or Bright Yellow =
These symptoms together mean that your plant is overwatered. Usually lower leaves drop first, although the whole plant may be affected. The solution = repot (to remove soaked soil) and water less, or let soil dry out and water less.
1. If a plant is overwatered, it will likely develop yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves as opposed to dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves combined with wet soil usually mean that root rot has set in and the roots can no longer absorb water.
Underwatering your plants will result in limp and wilting leaves. Your plants must have enough water to pass through the cells for turgor. If there isn't enough water, the plant will not only wilt but also close its stoma to prevent evaporation.