From our roots' perspective, the most immediate and telling sign is the constant, suffocating environment of the soil. You may check our moisture levels and find the potting mix is perpetually wet, cold, and heavy, with a musty smell. This is a stark contrast to the well-draining, aerated environment we crave. A pot that feels significantly heavier than it should for our size is a clear indicator that water is not being absorbed or draining away but is instead pooling around our root system, cutting off our vital oxygen supply.
When our roots are drowning and begin to rot, they can no longer function. They cannot absorb the water and nutrients our upper parts so desperately need. This creates a confusing paradox: we are dying of thirst while standing in water. The first leaves to show this distress are often the older, lower ones. They will turn a universal sign of plant unhappiness: a generalized, often widespread yellowing (chlorosis). Unlike the crisp dryness of underwatering, these leaves will feel soft, mushy, and limp to the touch before they eventually drop from our stems.
This is perhaps the most confusing sign for you and the most distressing for us. You see us wilting—our stems drooping, our leaves losing their turgor pressure and hanging limply—and the instinct is to provide more water. However, in this case, our wilting is not due to a lack of water but an inability to access it. The very roots that are meant to drink have been damaged or destroyed by rot. Therefore, even though the soil is wet, we cannot transport that water through our system, and we exhibit the same symptoms as if we were parched. It is a critical sign of advanced root failure.
As the fungal and bacterial pathogens that thrive in waterlogged conditions begin to attack our weakened tissues, they manifest as visible lesions on our leaves. You will see soft, dark brown or black spots that may appear water-soaked. These spots often start on the leaf margins or tips and can spread inward. The texture of these areas is distinctly mushy and rotten, unlike the dry, crispy brown edges caused by too much fertilizer or low humidity. In severe cases, a fuzzy gray mold (Botrytis) may also appear on these decaying tissues.
When the problem progresses beyond the roots and lower leaves, the rot begins to attack the central support structure: the stems. The base of our stems, at the soil line (the crown), may become soft, dark, and mushy. They lose their structural integrity and can no longer support the weight of the plant above. You may notice a stem suddenly collapsing or bending over at this weakened point. This condition, often called stem or crown rot, is extremely serious and frequently fatal if not addressed immediately, as it severs the connection between the roots and the leaves entirely.
Our entire energy is diverted from the joyous process of growing new leaves and flowers to a desperate fight for survival. A plant that is overwatered will essentially stop growing. You will notice a lack of new stems and leaves, and any emerging buds may abort and fall off before they open. Furthermore, the stress will cause us to shed leaves prematurely, both the yellowed older ones and potentially even healthier-looking ones, as we attempt to reduce the demand on our compromised root system.
