The overwatered money tree is prone to various concerns that can hinder the growth of your plant due to excess water retention, inconsistent watering, high humidity levels, and a shortage of light.
This challenge is also caused by poor drainage, heavy potting mix, lack of draining holes on the pots, and no aeration. All these difficulties can cause the development of other issues in your money tree. To learn more about this overwatered money tree, continue reading.
Why Is Money Tree Overwatered?
Your money tree is overwatered because it doesn’t receive enough sunlight to ensure moist soil, it may be high humidity levels, frequency of watering, or wrong use of pebble tray. In addition, the lack of drainage holes, larger pot, poor draining mix, pest control of garden hose, using liquid fertilizer.
– Lack of Sunlight
If you place your money tree in spots that receive little to no sun, the plant can become overwatered, because of the moisture level increase.
For further enhancement, the rate of evaporation is reduced so, your plant will have to stay in moist soil for an extended period. This can also affect water uptake by the money tree.
If the rate of transpiration decreases, the tree plant can also absorb less water. This means the soil moisture is not used up within the expected time, thereby causing overwatering.
In addition to the lack of sunlight, too little light in a room can influence the loss of water through transpiration and the plant will not absorb more water.
The concern can happen if you place your plant in a low-light room. Your plant is also prone to low-light conditions in winter when the temperatures are lower and the time of exposure to light is also limited.
– High Humidity Levels
High humidity levels increase the amount of water vapor or moisture level in the atmosphere, thereby causing a reduction in water absorption. Water is transported from the region of high concentration to a lower one.
Note that if the plant is not losing much concentration, it means the roots cannot absorb more. The water will remain in the potting mix, and that’s how your money tree becomes overwatered.
You can also increase the humidity levels by continuously misting the money tree leaves. Your plant is always wet so, no evaporation will take place, and it may cause the development of diseases like root rot.
– Frequency of Watering
Your money tree does not require frequent watering, and this is crucial to keep in mind. Thus, the tree plant can be overwatered easily, just as you add more water than what can be absorbed. The soil becomes soggy, and the roots are suffocated. The roots can also die as they may fail to breathe and grow.
However, when the potting mix is soaked for an extended time, the air pores are clogged. Air movement is then hindered, and the soil moisture may not evaporate quickly, causing overwatering.
Irrigating your plant frequently can as well leach the nutrients beyond reach. The alkalinity of the inundated soil drops and becomes more acidic, thereby halting the growth of your plant.
The money tree can die as it cannot survive the increasingly acidic soil. Leaves falling can be a sign that your plant is dying, as it cannot tolerate overwatering, and you will see this when it results in the leaves turning brown.
– Wrong Use of a Pebble Tray
You can increase humidity levels using a pebble tray, but you must make sure the pot is not sitting in water. If the pot sits in water, the potting mix will absorb water from the tray. This means, if the pot remains in the water for a long time, the soil can become soggy. That’s how your money tree turns out to be overwatered.
– Lack of Drainage Holes
Overwatering the money tree can occur if you use a pot without drainage holes. Excess water may fail to escape so, it will remain in the potting mix. Your money tree plant can become overwatered even if you are following the correct watering requirements.
The latter is because the pot is holding every single drop, and the tree leaves drooping would result, all due to an excess water being filled. This exhausted plant may likely develop some problems like brown spots and yellow leaves.
– Pot Size
Your tree plant can be overwatered through water retention, and if you place it in a pot that is bigger than what’s best for the plant’s root ball, the chances of overwatering are high. You may need more soil to fill the container. The soil may also need more water and the plant will not be able to absorb it within a short period.
The potting mix will take longer to dry out so, you may probably add more water when it is not needed, resulting in overwatering. Hence, you should use a pot that is not too big or small so that you avoid the issue of having an over- and underwatered money tree. The pot’s diameter should be at most six inches.
– Poorly Draining Potting Mix
Every plant grows well in different potting mixes. The money tree can suffer overwatering if grown in a poorly draining potting mix like clay. Poorly draining potting mixes are usually heavy, so they can easily compact.
Their particles may not allow the water to pass through, thereby your money tree will be overwatered. Basically, the water will be clogged in the potting mix, because it doesn’t flow well where the plant is sitting.
– One Watering Pattern Through Seasons
The money tree prefers frequent watering in summer when the temperatures are high and that’s the growing season of the plant. So, if you continue with the summer pattern in winter, your tree plant is going to suffer overwatering.
On the other hand, the temperatures are lower in winter as well as the rate of transpiration so, your Pachira aquatica will not use up all the moisture. Hence, due to the excess water, the plant will have a high amount of it and will get stressed.
– Pest Control Using a Garden Hose
Controlling pests using a garden hose can result in overwatering if not done properly. Spraying water to kill pests also adds moisture to the potting soil. Thus, if you splash water to kill pests and then irrigate the plant normally, you might have a situation of overwatering.
Yellowing leaves can be a result of both overwatering and pest infection. Usually, overwatered money trees may have their foliage turning yellow combined with leaves dropping.
– The Use of Liquid Fertilizers
The overwatered money tree can be a result of adding fertilizer as well as watering the plant normally. Liquid fertilizers are diluted with water so, you will be adding more into the soil which can cause overwatering.
How to Fix Overwatered Money Tree Problems
You can fix your overwatered money tree by stopping watering as recovery, exposing it to higher temperatures, maintaining low humidity levels, exposing it to sunlight, holding fertilizing, repotting, and propagating. Additionally, you may avoid inconsistent water, improve drainage and aeration. Lastly, you can check dryness, to know when to water.
– Stop Watering For Recovery
If your money tree is showing some mild signs of being overwatered, just stop adding more water. You should monitor your plant to see if it is showing some signs of recovery. You must be sure to also check if there is stagnant water in the pot. If yes, drain it by tilting the container so that the air pockets in the plant soil can reappear.
You can then use a splinter or chopstick to create a few holes in the soil, thereby improving aeration. Also, check for moisture content in the potting mix. Use your fingers to poke the soil through the drainage holes so that you can feel if the bottom substrate is dry or not.
Remember, do not irrigate your money tree until the soil is completely dry. This is all in the first phase, as now you are recovering your plant. You should then check for root rot on your money tree so that you treat it immediately.
The leaves turning to different colors can be a sign of the plant being overwatered. Make sure the soil is 100 percent dry when you start watering again.
– Exposing the Plant to High Temperatures
The Money tree prefers temperature ranges between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. So, exposing the plant to temperatures that are higher than this can cause the potting mix to dry quickly. By the time you water your plant, the soil will be dry enough to avoid overwatering.
– Maintain Lower Humidity Levels
Usually, the money plant loves high humidity levels; however, reducing the humidity levels until your plant is completely free from the overwatering problem may assist to alleviate waterlogging conditions in the potting mix.
You should improve aeration in the room where your plant is located. You can also get a hygrometer to test the humidity so that adjustments can be made when necessary. Low humidity can result in dry air around the room.
Keep in mind that the rate of evaporation is increased and the excess water in the potting mix dries out fast. The money tree grows well in an environment with humidity levels of 50 percent and above. Maintaining such humidity levels may encourage evaporation so that your plant will be free from too much moisture.
– Expose to Light
You should place your overwatered money tree on a spot that receives more, bright, filtered light. You can place your plant on a south-facing window so that the plant can receive light for longer hours.
Furthermore, you can invest in a grow light so that the plant can have an increased time of exposure to this plant care requirement—light. This way, the process of drying out is sped up. You must continue doing this for this indoor plant until it recovers well.
Exposing the plant to light can also promote vigorous growth. The plant can then use more water and the available moisture can be consumed quickly.
Remember that you should monitor the plant to see if there are any changes, as it should start showing some signs of recovery after about two weeks. The leaves turn green as a sign that the plant is getting back to normal, this shows you that there’s hope for recovery.
– Hold Fertilizing
Once you notice an overwatered money tree, stop adding more liquid fertilizer because it may also increase the moisture content in the potting mix.
Wait until you see the new growths developing, as they are the signs that your plant is healthy again. When you see that your plant has recovered completely, start adding fertilizer again. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that is diluted to half-strength.
The fertilizer should be added in autumn and summer as it is the growing season of your plant. You can also resume watering money tree once you are sure that your plant has completely recovered from overwatering.
In this phase, keep in mind that you shouldn’t overfertilize your plant, as it may also result in tree leaves turning yellow or brown. The tree leaves are important for photosynthesis.
– Repot Your Plant
The overwatered tree is usually affected by a fungus that causes rotting. You should repot the plant so that it grows in a new environment that is good for its health.
Gently uproot the plant, lay it on sheets of multiple newspapers or kitchen paper towels, and check for any signs of root rot in money tree. Wash the roots of your tree plant so that you can easily identify if there are any rotten roots.
If you notice black, soft, mushy roots that are producing an unpleasant odor, know that your plant is infected by root rot. You must trim the infected roots, discard them, and make sure you disinfect the tools using rubbing alcohol to avoid spreading the infection.
In addition, you must also prune the affected leaves and check if your money tree can recover. If yes, then treat your plant using fungicides or hydrogen peroxide.
Overall, get a new pot and a fresh potting mix so that you can repot your plant. Add some hydrogen peroxide to the potting mix to get rid of the remaining fungi. Doing this can also improve aeration.
Furthermore, you can also mix cinnamon powder, activated charcoal, or chamomile into the soil to kill the fungus. After this, be sure to follow proper watering schedules.
– Propagate the Money Tree
Your severely affected money tree should be destroyed but you can save it by propagation and then develop you money tree plant with the ideal growing conditions. Find a healthy stem and cut a six-inch long cutting so that you can use it for propagation.
Note that the cutting should have at least two nodes and a few leaves. You can dip the base of the cutting intersection into the rooting hormone but take note that this step is optional.
Prepare a pot and you can use sand as the substrate. Plant your cutting and make sure you cover one-third of it with the potting mix. Water your cutting and cover it with plastic to contain moisture and humidity. The plant can start to develop some roots after seven weeks.
You should transplant the new plant to a larger pot after a couple of months. After repotting your money tree, remember to avoid direct sunlight until the plant has established itself in its new home. Transplanting can leave your new money tree in shock so, make sure you keep the potting mix moist to cool the plant.
– Avoid Inconsistent Watering
You should follow a consistent watering schedule to avoid overwatering. Inconsistent irrigation can as well lead to under-watering, which is also a disadvantage to your money tree.
You should water money tree once a week in summer using the soak-and-dry method. This is when you should irrigate your plant thoroughly until you see water seeping out through the drainage holes, and it means that the soil is fully saturated.
If you continue watering after this sign, you are risking your money tree to a case of overwatering. You should make sure that the top two-inch of the potting mix is completely dry before watering again. You can use your finger to check the moisture content.
On the other hand, if the plant’s soil is still wet, it will stick to your fingers, whereas a dry and dustier potting mix shows that the plant is ready for the next watering. When watering your money tree, use distilled or rainwater at room temperature, and also avoid overhead irrigation.
Do not use tap water as it contains some chemicals that can be harmful to your money tree. You should also reduce watering in winter, as the rate of evaporation is reduced. The plant is kept moist for an extended period. You should also water your money tree in the morning so that excess water can have enough time to evaporate during the day.
– Improve Drainage
Your overwatered money tree can be free again if you improve its drainage system. Make sure the pot has enough drainage holes that allow excess water to escape. The pot should also be of average size as the water takes time to dry out in a bigger one. You should also change the potting mix once you notice that it is now compacted.
You can easily notice that the soil for your plant is compacted when watering as the water takes time to drain out. Furthermore, you should also use a well-draining potting mix. Light potting mix is preferable as it does not get compacted easily, so it will drain water perfectly. Avoid using heavy potting mixes as they can get compacted easily.
You may use a mixture of perlite, pine bark, and peat. This mixture drains water perfectly, and then the risk of overwatering would eventually be reduced.
If your money tree is overwatered, more water is absorbed and pushed to the plant’s margins and tips. As a result, your plant may have damaged tissues and broken veins, which can cause brown leaf tips and edges.
– Improve Aeration
You should improve aeration around your overwatered money tree. You can open windows so that fresh air can circulate in the room and aid in evaporation.
Not only that, but you can also use a fan and a heater to increase air movement and heat, respectively. Please note that the heat should not be too much as it can burn the plant’s foliage.
You can also improve aeration in your plant’s potting mix by creating air pockets using a chopstick. This may help the roots of your money tree to breathe well.
– Do the Finger Test
You should always test the moisture content using your finger. The money tree’s potting mix should be 50 to 75 percent dry prior to the next watering. Do not water again if the potting mix feels moist, otherwise overwatering may result.
– Pruning
You can prune the leaves whose tips are gradually assuming a brown color if your money tree still has other leaves to support it for photosynthesis to take place. The brown tips on your money tree usually do not cause any further damage to your plant, so there is also no harm in leaving them.
FAQ
Can you propagate an Overwatered Money Tree?
Yes, you can propagate an Overwatered Money Tree through stem cuttings. Take a healthy cutting, remove excess water from the stem, and allow it to dry before planting in well-draining soil.
Can reduced humidity levels help revive an Overwatered Money Tree?
Reducing humidity can aid in the recovery of an Overwatered Money Tree, as it helps prevent fungal growth and root rot.
What is the best potting mix to revive an Overwatered Money Tree?
Use a well-draining potting mix, such as a blend of peat moss, perlite, and sand, to revive an Overwatered Money Tree.
Conclusion
You can now identify the signs and help your plant recover from being overwatered.
Before you go, let’s quickly go through the main points below.
- Prevent overwatering by following the correct irrigating patterns.
- You can repot the money tree plant as a way of rescuing your overwatered plant.
- Yellowing of all leaves on your plant is a good sign that the money tree is overwatered.
- You should treat the money tree using fungicides to get rid of the fungal infection and then plant it in a new container with a fresh potting mix.
- Put your overwatered money tree in a well-ventilated area that provides bright, indirect light so that the plant can recover.
Overall, you are now ready to redeem your overwatered money tree without failure. Start practicing today so that you will not discard your overwatered money tree again!
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