Plant that's been over-watered: how to save it

Your neighbor has come to take care of your indoor jungle while you're vacationing on a beach in the Balearic Islands. And when you get home, you're stunned. Your Monstera and Calathea have been watered every day. The soil is soggy, the leaves yellow and the stems limp. The situation may be critical, but it's not hopeless! Here's what you can do to save your plant if it's been over-watered.

Like drought, overwatering can be fatal to plants. When there's too much water in the soil, there' s no room for oxygen. Roots rot and, if you do nothing to save them, your plant may die.

Before intervening, you need to check whether your plant is suffering from excess water. There are several signs that indicate over-watering:

Yellow leaves are also a symptom of poor exposure or lack of water. To confirm your diagnosis, examine the soil. If the rootball is very damp to the touch, or worse, the soil has turned to mud and puddles have formed on the surface, you've over-watered. Are moss and algae growing at the foot of your houseplant? This is further proof that you've over-watered.

Excess water attracts pests such as midges and mealy bugs. Excessive humidity also encourages the development of fungi. If you spot them on the stem, leaves or surface of the pot, there's no doubt: you've drowned your plant.

Now that you're sure your plant has been over-watered, you can take action. Here's what you need to do to save your plant. If the damage is slight, simply drying off will suffice. But in the case of heavy watering, you'll probably have to prune and repot.

The first thing to do to save an over-watered indoor or outdoor plant is to stop watering it.

Then remove the planter. Water may be stagnating at the bottom and rising by capillary action. And even when empty, it creates a double layer that helps keep the substrate moist. Without it, the soil will dry out more quickly.

Finally, place your protected plant in the shade. While the sun helps the root ball to dry out, it can also damage fragile foliage. Indeed, as the roots no longer play their role and feed the leaves, the limbs dry out and become vulnerable. They risk burning if the light is too strong. This applies to indoor and outdoor potted plants that can be moved to a shady spot. The same applies to outdoor plants. Put a parasol or shade cloth over your shrubs, bushes and flowerbeds until they recover.

These three actions are sufficient when over-watering has been moderate. After a few days, your plant will recover, the soil will dry out and you'll see the first signs of recovery. But if the damage is more serious (the soil is waterlogged, for example), don't wait and move on to the next stage.

When the substrate is damp, but not soggy, you can simply air-dry it.

Remove your plant from the pot. Place it, still in its soil, in the shade for a few days. When the roots have begun to rot or are few in number, the root ball is not compact enough to stand on its own. To prevent it from disintegrating, you can replace the pot with an openwork container, such as a basket. If you don't have one, use newspaper to wrap the root ball. A layer or two is enough to contain the soil while allowing air to circulate.

Cacti and succulents are very drought-resistant, but particularly vulnerable to over-watering. The faster their soil dries out, the better these plants recover. To speed up the process, place a sheet of paper towel under or around the root ball.

After a few hours in the shade and in the open air, the soil will be dry. You can then return the plant to its container. This technique avoids the stress of repotting. But it is sometimes insufficient.

Is the soil completely saturated with water? Is the soil infested with fungi, moss and algae? Did you notice root rot when you took your plant out of its pot? Then you're going to have to pull out all the stops.

Once you've taken the plant out of the pot, gently remove the soil with your fingers. It's better to throw it away and not reuse it. It may be harbouring parasites, or the excess water may have washed away all the nutrients.

Once the roots are bare, observe them. You'll easily recognize rotten roots: they're brown, soft and smell bad. Sometimes they're covered in mold. You need to cut them off so they don't contaminate healthy roots. Using a pair of clean, sharp shears or scissors, remove the damaged part. Has the entire root system been affected? It's probably too late to save your plant. You can still cut the roots flush and replant. Botany works in mysterious ways, and miracles do happen from time to time.

Prune off yellow or brown leaves and stems. They won't grow back and no longer contribute to photosynthesis. This will also help your plant to grow again.

Once you've finished pruning, repot into a pierced pot. You can line the bottom with clay pebbles or gravel to improve drainage (to find out more, see our article: Gardening: do I need a drainage layer? ).

Pour in a layer of potting soil suited to the requirements of your green plant. If you're wondering which one to use, read our growing instructions. Place your specimen in the center and add substrate. Stop two or three centimetres below the edge. This way, water won't overflow during watering.

Water your plant. Yes, I know. We said at the beginning that you should stop watering. But watering is essential after repotting. It makes rooting easier. Water generously, to moisten all the soil. When the water runs out through the drainage holes, stop. Let the water drain off before placing your pot back on its saucer. Check the saucer 20 minutes later. If it contains water, empty it.

At this point, you've done all you can to save your over-watered plant. Now all you have to do is wait for it to recover.

Keep your plant in the shade until new shoots appear. When leaves or buds appear, you can reinstall it in a sunny or semi-shady spot, if that's what it prefers. You can also remove the shade cloth for plants in the ground.

After rescue, your plant remains vulnerable. Don't fertilize it. Fertilizing may cause additional stress. What's more, if you've repotted, the new substrate is rich in nutrients and there's no need to fertilize for the next month. Have you kept the same potting soil? Wait until growth resumes before starting to fertilize.

On the other hand, don't wait for the new leaves to appear before giving your plant a drink! Touch up the soil a few days after rescue. If the first two or three centimetres are still damp, don't do anything. Water only when the soil surface is dry. As after repotting, don't allow water to stagnate in the saucer or planter.

Over-watering mainly concerns potted plants, whether in the house or outdoors. In the open ground, water flows naturally and is captured by the water table. However, in the event of heavy rain or flooding, your garden can be drowned. All is not lost, however. Trees, shrubs and other plants can survive for a few days, even when submerged.

Wait until the water has completely receded before taking action. Resist the temptation to visit your plants, even if only a few centimetres of water remain. Walking on soggy ground can pack the soil and worsen its condition.

Once the water is gone, head for the vegetable garden to harvest any fruit and vegetables that can be saved. Pick the others too, so that the rot doesn't spread to other plants and your crops as a whole.

For roses, camellias and other flowering plants, it all depends on the extent of the damage. Cut off wilted flowers, leaves and rotting stems to prevent the spread of disease. Then examine the plant to see if it has survived. You may need to uproot the plant to see the roots. As long as they're healthy, there's still hope. Do some radical pruning to preserve what's still alive and help your plant resume growth.

Would you like to move your oleander to the top of a mound to protect it? Your lettuces are drowned and it's not too late to sow new ones? Allow at least three weeks after removing the water to replant. That's how long it takes for the soil to recover from its muddy state and become dry again, ready for your crops.

These tips and tricks will help you avoid drowning your plant a second time.

1- Always use a perforated pot. Holes are essential for drainage. Without them, excess water cannot drain away. The soil becomes waterlogged and your plant drowns.

2- Choose a terracotta pot rather than a plastic one. Clay is porous and lets the soil breathe. If you water too much, the substrate will dry out more quickly and the roots will be less likely to rot.

3- Avoid planters, especially if they're too narrow. They prevent air circulation and increase humidity levels.

4- After watering, empty the water stagnating in the cup or planter. If your pot is too big to handle, fill the bottom of the planter or saucer with clay balls. They'll absorb any excess water.

5- Download theMonstera application. We'll send you a reminder when it's time to water your plant.

6- Touch the soil before watering your plant. Only a few species, such as dionaea muscipula or papyrus, like very moist soil. For other varieties, wait for the surface of the soil to dry at least a centimetre before watering.

7- Don't ask just anyone to water your houseplants. If you're going to be away and don't have a gardening pro on hand, opt for a drip system, water reserve or watering gel.

8- Outside heatwaves, don't water in the evening. It's harder for the substrate to dry out at night and when temperatures drop.

9- In the garden, install a rainwater collector and create a lost well to limit the amount of water stagnating on your plot.

10- Outside, you can dig trenches to facilitate water drainage and spare your flowerbeds and some of your plants.