How to tell if a plant is overwatered or underwatered

Serial Plant Killer 101, part 1 of 3. Part 1: overwatering and underwatering | Part 2: light | Part 3: growing mediums

Struggling with your houseplants? Maybe you got a bit over-excited at the nursery and now have a whole bunch of plants that are not too happy. We have all been there. To stop you becoming a serial plant killer, here is a quick rundown of golden rules that help plants not only survive but thrive.

Golden rule 1: do not overwater or underwater

This was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn when I first started looking after houseplants, because overwatering and underwatering have almost the same symptoms. I made a Venn diagram to show where the symptoms overlap and what the key differences are.

How to tell the difference

Many symptoms overlap, but do not stress. Most of the symptoms in the middle of the diagram, especially wilting and drooping leaves, improve once the plant is watered. That means you have been underwatering. Adding some indoor plant food will also give a tired plant some extra love.

If your plant shows symptoms of both overwatering and underwatering, it is probably being overwatered. The damage comes from prolonged wet conditions and can persist after the soil has dried out. Overwatering happens when soil is not properly aerated because it is wet and soggy. The easiest way to think about it is that your plant needs to breathe: if the roots cannot reach oxygen, the rest of the plant cannot get the nutrients it needs.

How to prevent overwatering

• Give your plant good lighting. It helps dry out the soil, and plants use water and nutrients better in good conditions. Our grow lights are a great way to make sure plants get the light they need.
• Ensure good drainage by using well-draining soil and a pot with drainage holes.
• Always check the soil before watering. Check how damp it is, how heavy the pot feels and for any signs of watering stress.

That is it for part 1. Continue with part 2: light, and follow us on Instagram for more.

By Charlotte Sheridan

What we would use

Sticky traps help with the fungus gnats that overwatering attracts: 8 pack insect sticky traps.

Last reviewed October 2026.