We have prepared instructions on how to save a plant that has received too generous watering. We suggest what to do if you find it immediately or after a while.

If the plant was flooded during the day

If you managed to quickly find out that the plant got too much water (for example, you remembered that you had already watered it recently or the pot was standing on an open balcony and was flooded with rainwater), you need to act quickly. If everything is done correctly, the damage to the flower will be minimal. 

1. Pull the flower out of the planter

Even if there are drain holes in the pots, the soil needs to be dried quickly, so ensure maximum air access. If the flower grew in a pot without drainage holes, it will have to be removed from there otherwise the roots will rot. At the same time, it is worth taking advantage of this moment to transplant the plant into a container that will release excess water. 

2. Soak up excess in a paper towel

Fold the paper towel in several layers and press it to the ground. Put the same absorbent pillow under the bottom of the pot. Change the paper as it gets wet. This will significantly accelerate the drying process of the soil and reduce the damage to the roots.

3. Loosen the soil

The next step is to achieve drying of the soil in the middle of the pot. Take knitting needles or thin wooden sticks and carefully make deep holes in the ground through which air will flow. Act carefully so as not to damage the plant. When the soil dries out in a couple of days, do not forget to sprinkle these holes, as parasites like to settle in them. 

4. Observe

After all the steps to save the flower have been taken, it remains for a while to reduce the usual frequency of watering and observe. A small amount of fallen leaves should not frighten you, this is a normal reaction to over-salting. But if the falling does not stop, and the trunk seems soft to the touch, the flower needs a transplant. 

If dehumidification didn’t help

Sometimes, even with a timely reaction to the flooding of the soil, the plant begins to get sick. The cause of the disease may be simply too much watering. And cacti and succulents often get sick because they were watered a little bit, but too often. If the flower has symptoms like constantly falling leaves, fungus and mold, parasites or softening of the trunk, it needs to be transplanted urgently.

1. Buy a new soil and pot

Harmful bacteria start in the flooded soil, so it will have to be changed entirely. The pot itself should either be replaced, or very thoroughly washed with soap and rinsed with boiling water to make sure that it is sterile. 

2. Clean the roots and inspect them

After taking the plant out of the pot, begin to gently release the roots from the earthen coma. Inspect them: most likely, you will find rotten parts. They will need to be cut with sharp scissors and treated with charcoal. Let the plant lie in the air for about a day before transplanting into the ground.

3. Inspect the leaves

Excess moisture often leads to the appearance of fungus or parasites on the aboveground part of the plant. Inspect the flower, cut off the damaged parts, if necessary, treat with pesticides. If you don’t want to work with chemistry, use neem oil in a spray bottle it can be found in flower shops. It fights insects well and is generally useful for plants. 

4. Save part of the plant if all the roots are dead

Sometimes it happens that it is too late to save the whole flower. If most of the roots have died, you can try to grow a new plant from the remains. For example, if you have filled a cactus, cut off the rotted part with a sharp knife and put the surviving tip into the ground. Water a little every couple of days, and when the roots appear and the trunk strengthens, return to normal watering for cacti every 3-4 weeks or less. You can also try to save the succulent by disconnecting a couple of healthy leaves and letting them germinate in a dry and bright place, then to root in the ground. In monstera, it is enough to cut off a healthy branch and put it in a vase with water until the roots appear. 

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