Hi guys, I’m a teen who’s watering my neighbors plants while they are on vacation and I don’t have much experience, i found out today i heavily overwatered a lot of his plants and i’m worried and don’t know what to do. Please respond with any help you can give.
If the pots have drainage holes it should be fine, just don’t water them again until the soil completely dries out. If the pots don’t have drainage, gently remove the plants from the pots and spread the soil out on some paper to let it dry out before repotting them.
2 Likes Im pretty sure they have drainage holes, i’ll check tomorrow when I go again. How long should I wait to water them again, and will the leaves browning color go away or should i cut them?
2 LikesWhat kinds of plants? Indoor or outdoor? How much longer is he gone and how much instruction did he give you? I would not trim or repot for him.
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Definitely don’t water them again. It’s easier for them to recover from underwatering than overwatering
0 Likes I would also say that if it isn’t too heavy, pick the pot up to make sure it’s not sitting in water. If it is, wipe up water
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Do the pots have drainage holes?
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I agree with withholding water. You can blot the top with paper towels or something absorbent. I have also heard about using tampons but have no personal experience. If you see standing water in the soil, gently tip the pot to allow the water to drain out. Since they are not your plants and you do not have much experience, I would not remove from the pots or disturb the root ball.
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For any guy out there who would rather not use that product, it occurred to me that the nosebleed plugs that my Mom uses (get nosebleeds often) would work the same. You can order them on Amazon or Walmart, but might be able to find them at a pharmacy (haven’t tried)
0 Likes do you think u should just not water them for a while?
2 Likes Where would i put these plugs?
1 Like Outdoor plants tend to dry out faster because of heat and wind. If the soil is wet I would withhold water for a little while. A good rule of thumb is stick your finger into the soil as deep as you can. If you feel water, don’t water. If you go the tampon/nose bleed route, I would put them in the soil in the top of the pot. Once they have fully absorbed what they can, do the finger check again. Repeat as needed. Watch the plants. If they start to wilt and the soil is not waterlogged, you can probably give them a little drink.
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This thread is the most wholesome thing I’ve ever seen on this app 🥺❤️
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Important question.. what’s the temperature where you are? Answers might be different if your daytime temps are in the 70-80s or the 100s
4 Likes for example, this plant, do i just leave it and wait?
I would. Honestly, they don’t look bad to me. Yellowing happens. I think you are being too hard on yourself.
2 Likes Put your finger in the soil. If it feels wet leave it alone, if it’s dry and crumbles quickly then give it some water.
0 Likes To be honest I’m just worried because they aren’t my plants and my neighbor trusted me instead of hiring a gardener
0 Likes Is this plant under watered or overwatered?
