Under / Over Watering Indoor Plants

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BLazeD

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#261667 9-Dec-2019 18:44

Hi, we are newbie garden people and check these plants every morning. If the soil is moist we leave then, if it is dry, we give them water. We have bought many kinds from the garden stores but as you can see they are all dying. We don't know if we are under or over watering or what is going on. The room gets a lot of light and we have even been giving them plant food. They all end up looking like the attached and dying. Could misting them help?

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#2371363 9-Dec-2019 18:55

Do they get direct sunlight? (And if so how much?)

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tdgeek

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#2371368 9-Dec-2019 19:12

sidefx:

Do they get direct sunlight? (And if so how much?)

Agree, need more info. Over watering as in killed with kindness is common.

Are the plants well drained? if not, the roots will rot. I had an outdoor rose bush that almost died, poor drainage. Dug it up, hosed the rotting roots, replanted elsewhere, its fine now. You need sand or similar and a drain hole. Perhaps replant them in quality potting mix. I used to saturate indoor plants in the shower. Saturate them. Then they drain. They are like us, they need air (loosen the topsoil), water, food.

timmmay

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#2371391 9-Dec-2019 20:25

I'd guess not enough water, given some look brown and crispy. We have a few pot plants that are a few years old, and I grow a lot of plants in a greenhouse, but I just wing it really. You could try watering some more and see if they go better or die.

I've never given my plants a shower, or repotted them. None have holes in the bottom of the pot that are inside, that could make things messy even with an outer container.

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#2371396 9-Dec-2019 20:47

Get a self watering pot that stores water in the bottom.

For a plant nuube, I can recommend one of those pots and a peace lily. Just keep it out of direct sunlight.

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BLazeD

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#2371424 9-Dec-2019 23:03

Thanks everyone, to answer your questions:

1. They don't get direct sunlight

2. The plants can drain yes. They are in the original pots that have holes (and the pots are in large planter boxes). If we did plant them directly within the larger planter box, then what devices are there that would take away any excess water of those holes (ie otherwise it would go on our floor).

3. Yeah we have tried watering less or water much more - neither seemed to work. Also some people we have asked at home have some under/over watering! The green plant in the top photo is wilting (which I would have said overwatering) but then the brown crispy leaves on other plants suggest underwatering!).

4. Self watering pot looks good! Something like this looks like it would fit in the planter box too https://www.bunnings.com.au/eden-60cm-charcoal-roman-self-watering-trough-planter_p2870995.

Could it be that we are not misting the leaves?

Side note: We have some bridal veil on a shelf directly above these dying plants that is growing damn well! In fact I was considering replacing all these plants with it.

BLazeD

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#2371495 10-Dec-2019 09:18

Does anyone also know what these plants are? These are images from the previous owner of our house and they seem to have been keeping these plants in that same location no sweat.

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Dial111

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#2371540 10-Dec-2019 10:22

I had the same problem and thought it was a watering issue, a bit of direct sunlight helped immensely and the plants are now thriving.

qwertee

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#2371545 10-Dec-2019 10:27

I think the ones on the left are a variety of ' devil's ivy' . I have a few and they are very easy to grow and hardy. I have one in a glass jar with some water crystals

I think the plants are not getting enough water. I would use some rain crystals if you get the chance to repot your plants. This means that they do not

dry out so quickly. Works very well in hanging baskets that I have outside.

I water my houseplants once a week. Some maybe 5 days a week in summer

I also have water detector sticks on 2 pots that are handy but do not rely too much on these. I push my finger into the soil and feel dampness (come on guys! lets NOT go there!) I skip the watering though the

indicator may say it needs watering. https://www.kiwicare.co.nz/product/houseplant-watering-indicator/

For potted plants in decorative containers, I take them to the kitchen sink and run them under the tap until water drains off completely then return to the container.

This method is suitable if there are no air gaps in the soil and root system. To get rid of these air pockets, I dunk the plant in a bucket of water and let the air bubbles escape.

Leave it for about 10 minutes until no bubbles are observed escaping then return them back to the container.

I think the the ferns do not like the sun and I have killed one. Maybe your ferns need a shady spot with dappled sunlight.

Use a liquid fertiliser maybe once a month during summer and barely none in winter.

cheers

sidefx

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#2371553 10-Dec-2019 10:38

Sounds like you've tried watering different amounts, so based on the fact they don't get (any?) direct sunlight maybe try temporarily move them so they get a bit each day and see how they go?

BLazeD:

1. They don't get direct sunlight

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neb

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#2371852 10-Dec-2019 15:19

tdgeek:
Are the plants well drained? if not, the roots will rot. I had an outdoor rose bush that almost died, poor drainage.

They do sound overwatered, leading to possible root rot.

Another issue is how hot to the containers get? If they're in direct sunlight with black casing/black pots and the soil is baking at 35 degrees all day long that'd do that to the plants as well. Not sure if the container is plastic or synthetic black marble but the former will heat up a lot and the latter will heat up and then radiate the heat back later after the sun has gone.

neb

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#2371854 10-Dec-2019 15:24

BLazeD:
Does anyone also know what these plants are? These are images from the previous owner of our house and they seem to have been keeping these plants in that same location no sweat.

Very different plants, note the glossy leaves, those have thick water-retaining cuticles rather than the ferns you've got there. They also look distinctly tropical compared to the ferns. So it looks like they selected plants specifically for that position, maybe it's just not the right place for ferns.

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#2371881 10-Dec-2019 16:16

Sometimes plants purchased from garden centres are in a fine potting mix that can dry out quite quickly and this kills the roots. Re-watering gets the soil moist again, but if the roots are toast then its an uphill battle as to whether it will survive no matter how much water they get. I'd try re-potting them with garden soil from your garden centre and see how you go, it might hold the moisture better and prevent a terminal dry condition again.

BLazeD

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#2371884 10-Dec-2019 16:22

Thank you everyone some excellent suggestions. I am going to take stock and decide on a plan. All in all this has been no where near as easy as I thought it would, even for a complete gardening noob!

Dynamike

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#2371941 10-Dec-2019 17:15

Mealybugs in the potting mix. It looks like them on the container in the top photo (little white fluffy specks).

neb

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#2372158 11-Dec-2019 02:20

Dynamike:
Mealybugs in the potting mix. It looks like them on the container in the top photo (little white fluffy specks).

I noticed those too but assumed there were spores from the fern. If it was scale insects I'd expect them to be on the fern stems, not on the pot under the fronds. You'd also expect to see clusters of them attacking fronds that then die off, not more or less the whole plant dying with no very obvious cause.

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