From my perspective, my roots are my lifeline. When you give me too much water, you are essentially drowning me. The soil around my roots becomes saturated, pushing out all the oxygen. My delicate root hairs, which are responsible for drinking up water and nutrients, begin to suffocate and rot in this waterlogged environment. This root rot is a silent killer; you can't see it from above, but down below, my entire foundation is crumbling. Without healthy roots, I cannot absorb what I need to survive, and I will start to show signs of distress that mimic thirst, even though my soil is wet. It is a cruel and confusing fate.
On the other end of the spectrum, your neglect leaves me desperately thirsty. My soil becomes dry, brittle, and may even pull away from the edges of my pot. My roots search frantically for any hint of moisture but find none. To conserve what little water I have left in my tissues, I must make sacrifices. My leaves, my beautiful, broad leaves that work to photosynthesize, begin to wilt, curl, and crisp. This is not a dramatic gesture; it is a survival tactic to reduce surface area and minimize water loss. I am not just being dramatic; I am actively dying of thirst, and my entire structure becomes brittle and weak.
My leaves are my primary way of communicating my distress, and the symptoms are distinctly different. If you have overwatered me, my leaves will feel soft, limp, and mushy. They will turn a sad, yellowing color, often starting with the older leaves near the base. They may even droop while the soil is still damp to the touch. In severe cases, you might see blisters or lesions (oedema) because my cells are taking in so much water they literally burst.
If you have underwatered me, the story my leaves tell is one of drought. They become dry, brittle, and crispy to the touch. They will wilt dramatically and may curl inward or upward. The color will shift from a vibrant silvery-green to a dull, dry brown, particularly at the edges and tips. This browning is a result of tissue death from a severe lack of water. The wilting from thirst is often more severe and affects the entire plant more uniformly than the drooping from overwatering.
While my leaves signal the problem, the ultimate truth lies in my soil. Do not just look at me from above; investigate. Before you even water, push your finger an inch or two into the soil around my base. If the soil feels cool, wet, and clings to your finger, I do not need more water—I need air. A musty smell is a sure sign of rotting roots below. If the soil feels warm, dry, and crumbles away without sticking, that is your clear signal that I am parched and need a deep, thorough drink. My pot will also feel significantly lighter when I am underwatered.
