Plant care isn’t always easy. Before growing a plant indoors or outdoors, it’s important to understand its growing conditions to prevent it from wilting. Indeed, certain mistakes can prove fatal for your plants, especially those related to watering. Discover this mistake that can kill your houseplants.
To keep your plants thriving and healthy, it’s important to take proper care of them. To do this, you need to know their growth status so you can avoid overwatering them, which can be harmful to your plants.
What is the mistake that can kill houseplants?
faded plant
The mistake that can be fatal to your houseplants is overwatering, according to Etienne Laurentides, a gardener and landscaper from the Jura region. Excess water removes oxygen from the soil, suffocating the roots and causing them to rot. Furthermore, when the soil is very wet, the plant is no longer able to feed itself because the moisture blocks the photosynthesis process. As a result, its leaves soften, turn yellow, and then die. Furthermore, excess water makes the plant vulnerable to attacks from pests and fungi. Mold can then form on the pot and soil.
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How to save plants from overwatering?
To save a plant that has received too much water, start by placing it in the shade first. Leaving it in the sun would dry it out, as an overwatered plant cannot send water to its extremities. Then, let it dry. To speed up the drying of the plant, tap the sides of the pot several times with your hand. This helps loosen the soil, that is, make it light, and also creates air pockets to aerate the soil.
Next, remove the plant from the pot to check the condition of its roots and then repot it in a new pot. To do this, gently turn the plant over, hold it with one hand, and shake the pot with the other until you can extract the root ball. Then, using your fingers, remove any soil from around your plant’s root system. There is no need to keep this soil because, when repotting, new, fresher soil will be used. Using well-cleaned and disinfected pruning shears, remove any rotten roots. You will recognize them by their brown or black, soft, and mushy appearance. Healthy roots, on the other hand, are white and firm; do not hesitate to prune any dead leaves and stems. These are brown and dry.
After cleaning the plant of its dead parts, repot it in a new pot with drainage holes. To facilitate water flow and aid drainage, you can add a layer of mulch or clay pebbles to the bottom of the pot. Then add fresh soil and lightly pat the surface to compact it. Water lightly to moisten the soil and only water a second time when the soil dries out. Also, be sure to remove any standing water from the saucer or pot after each watering.
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How to avoid overwatering houseplants?
domestic water plant
To avoid overwatering, which could kill your plant, water it only when it needs water. For this reason, there are several signs that can help you determine whether or not you need to water your plant.
Soil: Before watering your plant, stick your finger into the soil. If it feels dry more than 4 inches deep, water it.
Pot weight: A plant feels heavier after watering. Lifting the pot helps you weigh it. If it’s heavy, it means the soil is still full of water , so there’s no point in watering it.
Plant type: The amount of water a plant needs depends on its type. For example, cacti and succulents only require a small amount of water. These succulents do not need to be watered regularly because their thick, fleshy tissue helps retain water . This means that these plants are very drought-resistant. On the other hand, plants with fine foliage, buds, or flowers should be watered regularly.
That said, avoid being harsh when watering your indoor green plants, as overwatering can suffocate your plants’ roots and cause them to rot.
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