Overwatering vs underwatering: how to tell

Short answer: feel the soil first. Droopy leaves with wet soil point to overwatering; droopy leaves with bone-dry soil point to underwatering.

Signs of overwatering

• Soil stays wet for many days
• Soft, yellow lower leaves
• Mushy stem base or a sour smell from the soil
• Fungus gnats around the pot

Signs of underwatering

• Soil pulls away from the pot edge
• Crispy brown tips and edges
• Leaves curl or wilt and perk up within hours of watering
• The pot feels very light when lifted

What to do

1. Overwatered: stop watering, empty the saucer, let the top half of the soil dry, check the drainage hole.
2. Underwatered: water slowly until it drains, or bottom-water for 20 minutes if the soil repels water.
3. Then lengthen or shorten the interval by a couple of days.

Why it keeps happening

Most watering mistakes come from not knowing when you last watered. Writing it down, even roughly, prevents both double watering and long gaps.

Doing it with Leafsip

Leafsip keeps a history for every plant and shows a water gauge with the days left. If the soil is still wet, snooze or skip; if you watered on another day, log that date so the next one is right.

Can a plant droop from too much water?

Yes. Waterlogged roots cannot take up water, so an overwatered plant can droop just like a thirsty one. Check the soil before adding more.

Yellow leaves: too much or too little?

Soft yellow leaves with wet soil usually mean too much water. Dry, crispy yellow leaves with dry soil usually mean too little.

How do I save an overwatered plant?

Stop watering, let the soil dry, make sure the pot drains, and repot into fresh mix if the roots smell or are mushy.