Overwatered Spider Plant

Overwatered Spider Plant (6 Signs and Solutions)

Spider plants can be a great addition to your indoor décor and can offer remarkable perks. They can even help you get rid of stress after a long day at work!

Overwatered spider plants can suffer from root rot and other issues that can ultimately lead to their demise, so it’s essential to look for the signs of overwatering and take corrective action quickly.

But what should you do if you think you’ve overwatered this amazing plant? Thankfully all is not lost. Read on to find out more!

Overwatered Spider Plants

These popular shrubs can help improve humidity in your home and act as natural alternatives to humidifiers. These plants are excellent choices for plant enthusiasts who love a cozy environment that is neither cold nor hot. They only need to be watered once a week at most.

This is because overwatering a spider plant can cause serious problems in the long run and can even result in fatal root rot. The overwatering issue is even trickier to deal with because an under-watered spider plant can also have similar symptoms.

This is why it’s important to pay attention to the little details to be able to respond in time. Moreover, you can also avoid running into issues by developing and following a suitable watering routine for your spider plants.

Signs That You’re Overwatering Your Spider Plant

Shamrock Spider Plant

Your spider plant will let you know if you’re overwatering it, here are some common signs to look for to know if you’ve overwatered your plant.

1. Discolored Leaves

Overwatering spider plants can lead to discoloration or paling of leaves. The longer the overwatering carries on, the more leaves get affected. However, the discoloration or paling of leaves can also be because of other issues such as under-watering.

If your spider plant has been overwatered, chances are that its leaves will soften or become puffy while losing their color. If you want a bushy spider plant, it needs to be watered correctly.

2. Brown Spots and Leaf Edges

Leaves can also develop brown spots that might grow bigger if the overwatering continues Brown leaf edges are also a sign that you are putting too much water onto the plant. This is because spider plants push water to the edge of their leaves and overwatering can lead to damaged veins.

3. Waterlogged Soil

Overwatering will often lead to waterlogged and damp soil so keeping a check on the soil’s texture can be an easy way to check for overwatering.

An overwatered spider plant’s roots might drown because of the waterlogged soil. This can in turn weaken the roots and open the door to fungal infections or root rot. If the roots of your spider plant have weakened due to overwatering, they will usually darken and sometimes emit a foul odor.

4. Pest Infestations

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Pest infestations can also happen in overhydrated plants since many insects thrive in warm and damp conditions. This means that if you notice pests on leaves, it is recommended you check the roots and the soil before you use the insecticide.

5. Wilting

Wilting is one of the main symptoms of an overwatered spider plant. If the leaves of your spider plant shrink and appear to wither, you might have overwatered it.

6. Risks of Overwatering Your Spider Plant

Overwatering is one of the most common causes of death for many houseplants. Overwatering your spider plant can cause it to wither and weaken. If overwatering continues for an extended time, it will be fatal.

One of the main drawbacks of overwatering is that it displaces the oxygen near the plant’s roots. This is because the soil has oxygen stored in a compact space, when the soil is overwatered, these spaces will up with water, cutting off the supply of oxygen to the roots.

Excess water in the soil attracts fungi and pest infestations to your plant. These can attack the roots and lead to rot.

What to Do if Your Plant Is Overwatered?

If you see signs of overwatering such as waterlogged or damp soil, you should take steps to minimize the damage. Drain out the excess water and move the plant to a spot with bright indirect sunlight. This will help regulate the soil moisture levels through transpiration.

Warmer surroundings can also be more helpful for restoring your spider plant’s soil composition. However, don’t put your plant in an environment with too much temperature. Very high temperatures will cause the plant to wilt and die. Spots with less aerial humidity can also help the plant recover from overwatering.

If it has been some time since the last time your pot was repotted, you can consider repotting it in a fresh mix. Old soil retains more water and leads to overwatering even if you have been following a well-balanced watering routine.

Root Damage

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If your plant is withering with discolored leaves, you should check its roots for damage. Overwatering can cause root rot that can be fatal if not treated in time. If the roots of your plant have been affected by overwatering, you will need to cleanse the soil and trim off the damaged roots before repotting the plant.

You should identify the roots that are displaying any signs of decay or darkening of color and cut them off. Leave healthy roots that appear firm and normal in color. When you’re cutting the roots of the plant, trim its foliage to help the plant sustain itself better.

Spray the newly repotted roots with some fungicide to keep them safe from more fungi infestation. Make sure all the infected roots have been cut off before you repot the plant otherwise the root rot will continue to spread.

If the roots have been damaged too much or if the root rot has spread too far, you might not be able to save your spider plant. In this case, you can try to propagate your spider plant using stem cuttings before the root rot kills the plant.

Avoid Overwatering Spider Plants

Rescuing an overwatered plant is very difficult and often you might not be able to save your plant even with propagation. The best case scenario is to avoid overwatering your plants so that you don’t have to worry about the hard rescue process.

Whether you have just bought a spider plant or you have been tending to it for a while, it is very important to stick to a suitable watering routine. Moreover, if you are new to this, you’ll probably want to familiarize yourself with the factors that play a role in deciding when to water your spider plant and how much.

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Outro

Spider plants are vulnerable to overwatering similar to most other plants. It’s really hard to rescue an overwatered spider plant so it’s better to prevent overwatering it if possible. Still, be on the lookout for the signs of overwatering in your plant so that you can respond in time to save it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you fix an Overwatered spider plant?

If your plant is suffering from overwatering, you can try the following things to fix it.

1. Move the plant to a dry area with shade.
2. Take the plant out of the pot along with the roots and the soil, and expose the roots by getting rid of as much soil as you easily can. Leave these roots to dry for a few hours before you repot them.
3. Repot your plant in a dry, well-drained mix. Be sure to cut off any damaged or affected roots to prevent the root rot from spreading.
4. Make a stem cutting of your plant and propagate a new plant if you can’t save the old one.

How often should you water a spider plant?

While the exact watering frequency can depend on multiple factors, your spider plant will mostly need to be watered once a week. It is a good idea to check soil moisture levels regularly and water the plant when the soil has relatively dried out.

The ideal time for watering is either early in the morning or late in the evening to help the plant absorb the moisture quickly.

During active growth stages such as the early years of the plant’s life, it is recommended to water your spider plant more frequently. You should also consider temperature, humidity, drainage capacity, and seasons when planning the watering schedule for your spider plant.

As an example, you should water less frequently during colder days while more on hot days.

How long does it take for an overwatered plant to heal?

In most cases, the plant will begin to show signs of recovery after two weeks of care. However, this time can vary depending on the extent of initial damage and the effectiveness of your rescue efforts.

If you caught the signs of overwatering early and responded effectively, you can save most of the roots from damage. In such a case the plant can recover within a span of one to two weeks.

However, if the damage was more extensive or if you were not able to treat the root rot immediately, it might take longer for the plant to recover or in some bad cases, the plant might be impossible to save.

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