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As mentioned before, plants need these specialised root hairs for their uptake of nutrients and water. If enough of these specialised root hairs die then the plant will be unable to take up enough water to ensure its survival, and of course, will begin to dry out internally showing the characteristic desiccation symptoms often mistaken for drought. The point is this, even though there is more than enough water in the root environment, if the root hairs have died through 'suffocation' then the plant is no longer able to access the water to replace that which is used through its normal regulatory functions. The irony here is that the plant now enters a phase of stress due to internal drought and by trying to reduce water loss through leaf curling or drooping it exhibits the same symptoms as though it was suffering from a lack of water in the root environment.. Unfortunately when people are unaware of this they will see the plant wilting and give it yet more water compounding the problem and causing further root death. If overwatering is allowed to continue then eventually the whole plant will die
How to Recognise Over-watering?
It is possible to pick up on over-watering quite quickly so long as you have a routine of checking the condition of your plants as you come to water them. Rather than water your plants on an individual basis, check and water each one - should they require any - every time you water and do so in the same order every time . That way you will know that none of your plants have been missed. Try and familiar yourself to the weight of the pots not only when the compost is wet but also when it’s dry. You will often see staff at plant retailers and nurseries judging whether a plant needs watering or not just by lifting it up.
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If you are still not sure whether a plant is wilting due to root damage brought on by overwatering then you could consider giving it some more water. Be careful though, if there are no signs of improvement within 24 hours then you must take action to dry out the root ball.
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Over watering is perhaps the biggest killer of pot and container grown plants and the main problem with recognising plants that have been over-watered is the confusion brought on by the symptoms they display. The trouble is that when plants are stressed in this way they normally show identical symptoms to those that have been stressed through under-watering, i.e leaf curling, stem drooping and leaf drop etc.
Why is over-watering a problem?
If you look at the roots of a plant you can easily spot the main body of the root which is used to transport water and nutrients to the rest of the plant. Then if you look a little closer, you should also be able to see extremely fine, hair like roots and these are the parts that are most important here. Each of these tiny root hairs is in fact a single modified plant cell, and as with all plant (and animal) cells they need oxygen to metabolise. This is also the same for the cells found in the human body which is why we have a need to regularly breathe air into our lungs. That way oxygen can be absorbed into our blood where a dynamic vascular system transports the highly oxygenated blood around our bodies. It also moves poorly oxygenated blood back into our lungs where the gaseous by-product carbon dioxide is expelled harmlessly from our bodies.
The root hairs receive their available oxygen from tiny air pockets that exist in the surrounding soil, and although in their normal environment they may become filled with water from periodic rainfall, this excess of water will normally drain away allowing new air pockets to form. It's only when the water doesn't drain away - through flooding or constant heavy rainfall - that problems occur within the root environment.
By denying an adequate supply of oxygen to the root hairs, these specialised cells are unable to metabolise and although they will be able to tolerate these conditions for a short while, continued exposure to over-watering will cause them to eventually die. The trouble is that all plants need a reasonable supply of water for transpiration (breathing), to maintain temperature so that they don't overheat, and to remain turgid and upright.
Why is over-watering a problem?
If you look at the roots of a plant you can easily spot the main body of the root which is used to transport water and nutrients to the rest of the plant. Then if you look a little closer, you should also be able to see extremely fine, hair like roots and these are the parts that are most important here. Each of these tiny root hairs is in fact a single modified plant cell, and as with all plant (and animal) cells they need oxygen to metabolise. This is also the same for the cells found in the human body which is why we have a need to regularly breathe air into our lungs. That way oxygen can be absorbed into our blood where a dynamic vascular system transports the highly oxygenated blood around our bodies. It also moves poorly oxygenated blood back into our lungs where the gaseous by-product carbon dioxide is expelled harmlessly from our bodies.
The root hairs receive their available oxygen from tiny air pockets that exist in the surrounding soil, and although in their normal environment they may become filled with water from periodic rainfall, this excess of water will normally drain away allowing new air pockets to form. It's only when the water doesn't drain away - through flooding or constant heavy rainfall - that problems occur within the root environment.
By denying an adequate supply of oxygen to the root hairs, these specialised cells are unable to metabolise and although they will be able to tolerate these conditions for a short while, continued exposure to over-watering will cause them to eventually die. The trouble is that all plants need a reasonable supply of water for transpiration (breathing), to maintain temperature so that they don't overheat, and to remain turgid and upright.
As mentioned before, plants need these specialised root hairs for their uptake of nutrients and water. If enough of these specialised root hairs die then the plant will be unable to take up enough water to ensure its survival, and of course, will begin to dry out internally showing the characteristic desiccation symptoms often mistaken for drought. The point is this, even though there is more than enough water in the root environment, if the root hairs have died through 'suffocation' then the plant is no longer able to access the water to replace that which is used through its normal regulatory functions. The irony here is that the plant now enters a phase of stress due to internal drought and by trying to reduce water loss through leaf curling or drooping it exhibits the same symptoms as though it was suffering from a lack of water in the root environment.. Unfortunately when people are unaware of this they will see the plant wilting and give it yet more water compounding the problem and causing further root death. If overwatering is allowed to continue then eventually the whole plant will die
How to Recognise Over-watering?
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If you come across a plant that is showing signs of drying out first check the condition of the soil. You can do this by placing your hand on the surface of the compost. If it is still damp from the last time you watered then there is very likely to be a problem of root ‘suffocation’. If the soil feels dry to the touch then scrape away the surface of the compost and see how damp it is below. If it is wet you should be able to feel it, but also there should be a change in the colour. Wet compost is almost always much darker than dry compost.
In extreme case – and this only works with flexible plastic pots – you can give the pot a gentle squeeze and if water begins to drip out of the base of the pot then again you will have a clear sign of over-watering. You can also try removing the pot and checking the condition of the soil and the roots.
If you are still not sure whether a plant is wilting due to root damage brought on by overwatering then you could consider giving it some more water. Be careful though, if there are no signs of improvement within 24 hours then you must take action to dry out the root ball.
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