Overwatered Banana Plant (4 Main Signs & How to Fix)

Are there any lookout signs for an overwatered banana plant? Despite wherever they are grown, banana leaves always give off a very showy and tropical vibe. They are a beautiful deep green in color, have a great towering stature, and grow so rapidly that they have a high need for moisture.

However, the love that banana plants have for moisture often leads to plant growers giving them so much of it that the plant becomes overwatered.

This is because anything excessive can never be too good, and the same is applicable to a banana plant. Additionally, when some plant growers choose to keep the plant indoors, the humidity adds even more to the moisture of the banana plant.

Therefore, keep following the article below to find out more information on the caretaking tips, signs to look out for, and potential revival of your banana plant if you think it is overwatered.

If you’re growing a banana plant, it’s important to strike a balance between watering it enough to keep it healthy and overwatering it, which can lead to various problems. Here are four main signs to watch out for if you suspect your banana plant is overwatered, along with some tips on how to fix the issue and revive your plant.

How Much Water Does a Banana Plant Actually Need?

After thorough research, it has been found that the ideal and average amount of water for banana plants is roughly 4-6 inches of water every month. This shows us that when it comes to watering your plant, it is always better to be preventative such that underwatering is preferable to overwatering.

This is because overwatering a banana plant will lead to its bright green leaves turning yellowish, soft, mushy, and eventually getting root rotten. Root rot is a plant killer. 

If it gets hold of your plant, there is nothing much you can do to rectify the situation or prevent your plant from dying. Thus, it is always better to take the necessary precautionary measures to help ensure your plant lives a long and healthy life.

Signs of an Overwatered Banana Plant

Having mentioned how much water is required by a plant and the risk of overwatering it, we will now go into details of what the signs of an overwatered banana plant are.

1. Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves are one of the first and most noticeable signs of an overwatered banana plant. This is true not just for banana plants, but any other plant too because yellow leaves are a sign of stress in the language of nature.

Therefore, for banana plants, in particular, you will notice that the lower leaves are beginning to or have already turned yellow.

Additionally, sometimes the yellowing of your banana plant leaves is followed by wilting. This is evident of the fact that your plant is not just going through a stressful period but is also suffering from root rot.

Having already mentioned what root rot can do to your plant, seek immediate treatment for it to prevent it from killing your plant.

As a preventative measure for overwatering, you must also be careful not to water your banana plant too much if there is high rainfall. This is because rainfall is sufficient on its own to provide an adequate amount of water for growth.

2. Soft Stem or Trunk

Another sign of an overwatered banana plant is that its stem tends to become soft. The reason behind this is that too much water within the plant can cause its stem to lose its firmness. One way that you can check the firmness of the stem of your plant is by checking and holding the stem to see whether it is as firm as before.

Adding to that, the trunk of your plant can also become soft if overwatered. This shows that your banana plant is unable to support its own weight and is beginning to collapse.

3. Dropping Leaves

Adding to the list of signs that show your plant is overwatered is when its leaves start to drop. As bananas come in different sizes, the bigger bananas have bigger leaves while smaller bananas have smaller ones.

Thus, if you are growing a bigger banana plant, you will be able to notice very clearly if and when the leaves start to fall.

Even though bigger banana plants need more water, sunlight, and fertilizer for optimum growth, excessive amounts of water can still be damaging. When too much water is given to a banana plant, even the bigger plants get impacted negatively.

4. Moist Soil

In addition to the signs mentioned above, moist soil is also an indication of whether you have overwatered your banana plant. This is because once the plant is overwatered, the soil will not dry up easily enough for it to grow to its best potential.

Moreover, the moisture will be further prolonged if the plant does not get enough light for growth. Consequently, the plant must get an adequate amount of light, but that too kept in check, so it does not exceed the required amount.

How to Save an Overwatered Banana Plant?

Having mentioned in detail several indicators that will signal whether your plant is overwatered or not, we will now go into providing information about the steps you can do to save your plant from dying.

Firstly, if you think that you have overwatered your plant, then you need to stop watering it immediately. This will help dry the plant out of its unnecessary moisture and wait to see if it recovers.

Therefore, if you notice that the soil is waterlogged, you need to quickly replace the pot and put it in dry soil. Here too, you must give the plant only the required amount of water to prevent it from overwatering again.

It is also crucial that you check the water drainage of your pot. This is further true for indoor plants because they are more prone to overwatering owing to the fact that they are placed within a humid environment.

You must also take into consideration the fact that the banana plant soil stays sufficiently moist, while also having good drainage.

Moving on to the worst part, if your plant has been infected by rot, you need to cut out the affected parts as soon as possible. To do this, you must carefully inspect the plant to figure out which part of it is most rotten.

Then, you need to cut off all the black and mushy parts of the plant as well as any parts that are softer than how the plant normally should be.

Having done all of this, you can transfer the healthy and remaining parts of the plant into a new pot with adequately moist soil. Now, you must remember to water the plant only when it is required and carefully keep looking out for any signs of overwatering or damage.

See a similar post: Japanese Maple Overwatering Symptoms

Conclusion

If you have made it this far into the article, you are now fully aware of all the signs of what an overwatered plant looks like and what can be done to save it. If your plant is still in the initial stages of being overwatered, there is hope for your banana plant to be saved and for it to continue thriving well.

However, if the roots have started to rot and have gone deep into damaging the plant’s stems and roots, your only option left is to cut off the damaged parts and plant the remaining ones into a new soiled pot.

By keeping your banana plant as healthy as you can, you can expect to get yourself a treat with lots of fruits on the plant.