From my perspective, your pot is my entire world. The soil is my atmosphere. Just as you need air to breathe, my roots require oxygen from the air pockets within the soil to respire and stay healthy. When you water me too frequently, you flood my atmosphere. Those precious air pockets fill with water, and my roots begin to suffocate. They cannot function without oxygen; they weaken, become stressed, and start to break down. This is the beginning of the end for me, a slow and suffocating demise that starts beneath the surface, completely out of your view.
When my roots are constantly drowning in soggy soil, they become soft, brown, and mushy. They are no longer the firm, white, healthy organs that efficiently draw up water and nutrients. This state of decay is called root rot. But the real danger is opportunistic. The overly wet environment is the perfect breeding ground for anaerobic bacteria and fungi, like *Pythium* or *Phytophthora*. These pathogens attack my compromised roots, spreading rapidly through my system. They are the silent killers that you often don't notice until the damage has traveled up to my stems and leaves.
I cannot speak, but I am constantly communicating my condition. Please learn to read my signs. The symptoms of my drowning roots will appear above the soil. My oldest leaves will often turn yellow first. My stems may become soft and blackened at the base. My new growth may emerge stunted or deformed. Most confusingly, I may show signs of wilting with drooping leaves, which you might mistakenly interpret as a need for *more* water, when in fact, my rotting roots are incapable of absorbing any water at all. This is a critical cry for help.
I do not want a strict weekly schedule. I want you to check on me. The best way to understand my needs is to feel the soil. Insert your finger about two to three inches deep. If the soil feels moist or cool, I am still well-hydrated. Please wait. Water me only when the top few inches of soil are completely dry to the touch. When it is time, provide a thorough, deep watering. Drench the soil completely until you see water flow freely from my pot's drainage holes. This ensures that all of my roots have access to moisture and flushes out any excess mineral salts. Then, allow me to drain completely. Never let me sit in a saucer of standing water, as it brings the flood right back to my roots.
