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.
Browning edges: Another symptom that can go both ways. Determine which by feeling the leaf showing browning: if it feels crispy and light, it is underwatered. If it feels soft and limp, it is overwatered. Yellowing leaves: Usually accompanied by new growth falling, yellow leaves are an indication of overwatering.
When a plant is first becoming overwatered, leaves turn yellow. If soil doesn't have a chance to dry out before you water again, leaves start to wilt. When overwatering is the problem, wilted leaves are soft and limp. (If too little water is the issue, wilted leaves are dry and crispy.)
One of the quickest, first signs of overwatering your plants is to observe occurs at the tip of the leaf. If the tip of the leaf is turning brown this is a sign of overwatering. 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.
If overwatering is the issue, the roots will look dark and feel mushy to the touch. The plant's soil may also give off a sour, funky smell, due to water-loving bacteria forming around those roots.
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.
Brown leaf tips are another tell-tale sign that your plant is in need of a drink, so you'll want to act fast if you see brown patches appearing on your plant's leaves. “Crispy, brown tips on your plant are a sure-fire sign that it needs both more watering and higher humidity levels in your home,” Bruce says.
Yellow leaves, mushy or loose bark on the plant stems and molds that appear on the top of the soil are also indicators of overwatering.
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.
When a plant doesn't get enough water, the tips and edges of leaves dry out and turn brown. Ultimately, entire leaves will brown and die. Slow growth. If you are chronically under watering a plant, but still giving it enough water to survive, growth will be slower than normal or expected.
The finger test
To check a houseplant for watering readiness, stick your forefinger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If the soil is dry in the first inch to inch-and-half, water. The finger test is best used for plants in medium-sized pots.
Just dip your index finger into the soil near the stem of your plant up to about your first knuckle. If the soil feels dry, and your finger comes out clean, then it's probably time for some water.
Indications that a potted plant is badly dehydrated include slow growth, yellowing and curling of lower leaves, and browning or brittleness of leaf edges. Dry plants often pull away from the sides of the pot. The leaves may take on a translucent appearance and the plant may drop its leaves prematurely.
Signs of root rot are slow growth, mushy stems, and wilting, yellow, distorted leaves (especially when the plant has been well watered, as wilting leaves can also be a sign of a dry plant).
To dry out soil quickly, you can apply hydrated lime to the soil, add compost and then turn the soil thoroughly to aerate it.
Q. How often should plants be watered? Water once or twice per week, using enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of about 6 inches each time.
Provide Slow, Deep Watering
If you are unsure how long to water new plants, aim for 30-60 seconds for small plants – longer for larger plants while moving the hose to a few locations around the plant. Avoid watering when the soil feels moist. The earth must be allowed to dry out between watering.
Increases in the rate of leaves senescence and drooping, scorching and limp leaves, leaf rolling and brittleness, closed flowers and flower sagging, etiolation, wilting, turgidity, premature fall, senescence and yellowing of leaves are among the most ubiquitous symptoms of drought stress in plants [65,66].
If you walk across your lawn and the ground feels spongy and has a lot of give in it, you are likely overwatering. Watering less often and allowing the soil to dry out before watering again actually encourages grass roots to grow deeper to find moisture.
If you're watering your plant every week but the soil still is dry and feels rock solid, you likely have hydrophobic soil. You might notice the water glide over the surface of the dirt, down the side of the pot and out the drainage hole. Sometimes this can indicate your plant needs repotting.
Cure: Hydrate the plant. If the plant is withering due to lack of water, hydrate the soil by putting the entire pot into a sink or bucket full of water for 15 to 30 minutes. If you water from the top, it will likely run down around the sides because the soil has become a hardened dry brick.