How To Save Overwatered Pothos? Indoor Plants Common Issues

Watering is essential for every plant. However, you may have made some mistakes, and now you have to deal with your overwatered pothos. Many gardeners have the same problem. Luckily, the signs of overwatering are easy to notice. You can also take immediate action to save your plant. This guide will show you how to save overwatered pothos. Let’s follow us and learn the best treatment your pothos plant needs! 

What Will Happen With Overwatered Pothos? 

There are many signs of overwatered pothos, including root rot, soggy soil, browning or yellowing leaves, and fungal issues. Overwatering is a common problem in Pothos, and it can be fatal to the plant if not caught early.

Root Rot

Although root rot is difficult to detect with the naked eye, it will happen if the pothos stay in overwatered soil. If you can’t fix root rot soon, it will kill your plants. Root rot is the most common and severe consequence caused by overwatering. Hence, you need to check the following signs to spot the problem:

• Yellowing leaves: The most visible sign of root rot is drooping or yellowing leaves. You may also see pothos leaves curling.
• Wet soil: If you feel wet soil while you don’t water your plant often, it’s a sign of root rot to check.
• Stunted growth: When root rot occurs, your pothos plant will stop growing suddenly.  
• Black roots: The root rot will cause your plant’s roots to turn soft and dark, giving them a foul odour.

Water blisters

Overwatered Pothos may get water blisters. They appear when cells in the pothos leaves break because the roots absorb too much water for the leaves to handle.

Brown spots

Pothos crammed with water may sometimes form discoloured or dark spots on the leaves top or bottom. These discolorations, which will look limp and squishy, signify that your pothos plant has bacterial leaf spots.

Leaf loss

An overwatered Pothos will start to lose its new and old leaves. Before dropping, they often turn different colours, such as yellowing and browning leaves.

Fungal problems

Overwatering pothos causes extreme plant stress, making them more prone to pests because they have become weaker.

Mildew or mold

Mold and mildew growing on the plant’s soil surface indicate that you have been overwatering your pothos. This fungus growth may cover the entire topsoil or may just be restricted to a small area. It could even start to sprout at the pothos stem’s base.

Fungus gnats 

Fungus gnats like overwatered plants. If you see these pests in your pothos plant, check for other signs to confirm.

How To Not Drown Pothos With Water? 

Prevention is better than cure. Please check out these tips to avoid exposing your plant to the risk of overwatering.

Establish a proper watering routine

It could be good to water pothos plants every one or two weeks. However, the quantity and timing of watering these plants ultimately depend on the soil, humidity, light, and growing season. Generally, warmer conditions often demand more regular watering, while colder, winter-growing environments need less irrigation. Instead of worrying about the precise watering schedule, you may check the moisture content of pothos plants by using a “finger test.” 

Check if your plant needs water

Insert your finger three to four inches into the soil close to the pothos plant’s bottom to see whether it needs water. If your finger is dry and clean, it means that your pothos plant needs water. And if your skin seems dirty with soil left on it, your plant still has some moisture and doesn’t require irrigation.  However, if your finger turns muddy after touching the soil, your pothos plant may feel suffocated because of overwatering.

Apply bottom watering 

Bottom watering is a good method to ensure that pothos plants are getting enough water. It takes some time to complete, but your plant can absorb the right amount of water it requires, avoiding wasting water. 

The instructions for bottom watering are as follows:

• Add water to the plant tray.
• Ensure that the plant’s soil contacts the water in the tray, and leave it there for ten minutes. 
• Check if the soil is absorbing water. If it’s moist throughout, empty the tray of excess water. 
• If the soil is still dry, pour more water into the tray. 
• Wait for about 20 minutes before draining the excess water.

How To Revitalize Overwatered Pothos Plant? 

If you have accidentally let your potted plants suffer from overwatering, do not worry too much. Here is what you can do to save an overwatered pothos. 

Check the level of damage

First, check for how much damage there is to the overwatered plant. This step will determine what actions you need to take next.

Drain excess water

Ensure that the drainage holes are performing as expected. You can poke the holes with a stick to drain excess water. This step offers a quick solution for you, particularly if you just irrigated and the soil felt too wet.

Cut out water for several weeks

Do not add more water when there is too much water and your plant’s roots are suffocating. Instead, expose the potting soil to sunlight to encourage it to dry. Evaporation may happen more quickly.

Change the soil or repot

Repotting is sometimes the only way to keep an overwatered plant alive. You need to remove the plant from its pot, get rid of the rotten roots, and put it in another pot with fresh soil. Repotting is also a good idea to clean your plant and encourage healthy roots. It can also prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the plant is root-bound.

Trim off dead leaves

Remove any Pothos leaves that have become yellow or brown. Cutting them now is preferable; otherwise, they will rot and affect other healthy parts of your plant. Keep your eyes on the healthy leaves to see how they react to the interventions you have made for your troubled pothos. It indicates that you are doing well if the leaves don’t turn yellow or brown. 

Conclusion

Overwatered pothos plants will display noticeable signs. Once you spot them, treat them properly. Then, you can save the damaged pothos and give them a new life. Hopefully, you will find this guide helpful. If you know any tips for fixing overwatering faults, please share them with us. Thank you for reading!