How to avoid overwatering your indoor plants

How to Avoid Over Watering Your Indoor Plants

By Team Frond

How to avoid overwatering your indoor plants

How to Avoid Over Watering Your Indoor Plants

Did you know over-watering is the biggest killer of indoor plants? From yellow leaves to sludgy stems, there are few things that make our plant pals more unhappy than too much water.

And since many of us are partial to showing our plant pals a little too much love, it makes sense to really understand the watering needs of your Fronds.

 

Signs of Over Watering your Indoor Plant:

  • Soft, yellow, wilting leaves
  • Brown leaf tips or spots
  • Soft, squishy stems
  • Bad smelling soil
  • Soil that's always wet to the touch
  • Soil that's attracting pests

 Dragon Tail Plant + Soil Moisture Meter

5 Tips to Avoid Overwatering your Indoor Plants:

 

1. Understand your plant's watering needs.

Different plants have different watering needs, so it's essential to understand your plant's specific requirements.

For example, ZZ Plants require less water than other plants because they store water in their rhizomes (clever little water storage under the soil). On the other hand, tropical plants such as Monstera and Peace Lilies require more water because they grow in humid environments.

Be sure to check that your indoor plant's watering needs suit your lifestyle. If in doubt, check out our plant care guides for all of our indoor plants' watering needs.

 

 

2. Check the soil moisture levels before watering.

Before you water your indoor plant, make sure it has dried out appropriately according to it's care requirements before watering again.
 
If you're unsure if your plant needs to be watered, a Moisture Meter could be your secret weapon! This handy tool will show you exactly how dry your soil is, and you can use it to measure different depths of your plant's soil for a really clear picture of her hydration needs.
 

Indoor Plant Soil Moisture Meter

 

3. Keep your plant in a nursery pot.

To ensure your indoor plant gets enough drainage, we recommend keeping them in a nursery pot and displaying in a cover pot.

This enables you to remove your plant from the decorative pot while watering (making watering much more convenient) and return them once the water has finished draining from the nursery pot.

But be sure to let the nursery pot drain completely before returning them to their cover pot - allowing your plant pal to sit in water for too long will definitely make them unhappy.

 

 

4. Use an indoor plant potting mix.

Just like our indoor plants have different care needs, they also like their soil to be a certain way too. In general, indoor plants like a soil that's blended to allow air to circulate their roots. Anything too dense and it's likely to keep your plant's roots too wet, which can lead to root rot and a very unhappy houseplant.
 
So if you notice your plant's soil isn't drying out or has a bit of a funky smell (from being constantly damp), re-pot your plant using a potting mix blended specifically for indoor plants.
 
Philodendron McColleys + Soil Moisture Meter

5. Consider the season.

As the seasons change, so do our plant's watering requirements. During summer, your plant's soil is likely to dry out faster with the heat, meaning you need to water more frequently than in the cooler months.

This makes the change of season a tough time to judge your plant's moisture levels, so again, a Moisture Meter may be your best friend.

 

 

Visit our Indoor Plant Care Guides to learn more about your indoor plant's watering needs.

 

 

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