Before you can help me, you must understand my language. I cannot speak your words, but I show my distress clearly through my leaves and soil. First, gently touch my soil. If it feels like a soaked, muddy sponge that clings to your finger and smells slightly sour or musty, you are loving me too much with water. This is overwatering. My roots are drowning, unable to breathe, and they may be starting to rot. You will see my large, handsome leaves turning yellow, often starting with the lower, older ones. They will feel soft and mushy, and I will look generally wilted and sad, even though my feet are wet.
Conversely, if my soil is pulling away from the edges of my pot or feels dry and crumbly like dust several inches down, you are forgetting my thirst. This is underwatering. My entire being is dehydrated. My leaves will wilt dramatically, but they will feel dry, crispy, and brittle to the touch. They may turn brown at the edges and tips first, and my growth will have slowed to a standstill. I am a Ligularia; I thrive in consistently moist, well-draining soil. I am not a cactus, nor am I a water lily. Finding that balance is the key to my happiness.
If you have overwatered me, the priority is oxygen for my roots. Immediately stop watering. Carefully remove me from my pot. You must inspect my root system. Healthy roots are firm and white or light tan. If they are dark brown, black, slimy, and have a foul odor, that is root rot. Using sterile, sharp scissors, you must cut away all the rotted roots. Be brave but precise; leaving the rot will kill me. After the surgery, repot me into a clean pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix. A mix with perlite or coarse sand is ideal for me now.
Do not water me immediately after repotting. This gives my wounded roots a day or two to callous over and reduces the risk of further rot. Place me in a location with bright, indirect light. Direct sun will be too stressful while I am this weak. When you do resume watering, do so sparingly. Only water when the top inch of soil feels dry. You may need to trim away the most severely yellowed and mushy leaves so I can focus my limited energy on regenerating new, healthy roots and leaves.
If you have underwatered me, I am desperately thirsty, but you must rehydrate me slowly. Pouring a huge amount of water onto my bone-dry soil will shock my roots and cause the water to run straight through without being absorbed. Instead, place my pot in a shallow basin or sink filled with 2-3 inches of lukewarm water. Let me sit there for 30 to 45 minutes. This allows my soil to wick up moisture from the bottom through the drainage holes, ensuring an even and thorough drink.
After my soak, remove me from the basin and let the excess water drain away completely. Do not let me sit in a saucer full of water for long periods. You will see my wilted leaves begin to perk up within a few hours. However, the crispy, brown parts of my leaves will not recover. You can gently trim these brown edges for a tidier appearance, but be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue. Going forward, check my soil moisture regularly. Stick your finger an inch or two into the soil; if it feels dry, it is time for a deep, thorough watering until water runs freely from the drainage holes. Consistency is everything for me.
