Polka Dot Plant Overwatered- Read Carefully Before Watering Your Plant

Introduction

Do you have a lovely Polka Dot plant? Or are you planning to buy it? Polka dot is an attractive plant, but it also requires some extra care like proper watering and light. It does not mean that it is a complex plant. It is easy to maintain; you need to have the appropriate guides.

Polka dot is also known as the “freckle face” plant due to its cute short saturated houseplant. However, it has varieties that differ in color and leave patterns. Polka dot plant grows well indoor and develops its root system more quickly. It may get leggy if planted in the outdoor pots and want to grow big.

However, it requires the appropriate ratio of water; otherwise, it may rot or have damages. Don’t worry. It is not difficult to maintain the watering of polka dot.

If you are new to the polka dot plant, then stay with us. Here we will discuss the polka dot plant watering and overwatering conditions and how to tackle them.

So let’s begin.

Polka dot plant care

Polka dot plant requires adequate care like water, light, humidity, and soil. It grows well if it has all the necessary care and maintenance. Water is the basic need of every plant, but overwatering may cause damage or loss of the plants, especially in the polka dot plant.

The overwatering may cause the purple flower spikes and start deteriorating after blooming. So it is advisable to take proper care of the polka dot plants.

Here are some appropriate care points for the polka dot plant, so follow them and maintain your lovely indoor plant.

• Place the polka dot plant in the area where it gets plenty of light. Low light may cause the leaves to revert to solid green color. If you place it outside in summer, keep it in the shade to protect it from the sun as it can cause the curling of leave and develop brown marks.
• Water regularly so the soil has the moisture. But ensure that it is not overwatered. So the less water is also not good because it wilts or drops off the leaves. Overwatered soil causes the yellow leaves
• Ensure that you water enough the plant so it will maintain its 50% humidity. You can also use a humidity tray or room humidifier to increase the moisture in the air and make it available for the plant.
• It is also advisable that pinch off all the small stems get into a leggy plant.

So like many other indoor plants, polka dot s also prone to rot due to overwatering. So it is best to underwater the plant. Otherwise, it may wilt, droop if it is under or overwaters.

How to check overwatered polka dot plant?

There is a general rule for the polka dot plant to water that pours the water in the plant when the soil is a quarter or half-inch dried. It is advisable that never let the mud completely dry or even wet.

Some factors also affect the water requirements of the polka dot plant. These factors include plant size, season, humidity level, and temperature. But the soil must be evenly moist, not over wet for the polka dot plant.

So check or track the plant water condition so it will not be under or overwatered. Here are some methods that help to know when you need to pour the water into your plant.

• Check plant moisture level by using the finger test. Pour your finger in the soil. If it is a quarter-inch wet, then don’t pour the water. Wait for a day or two, and then again check the moisture level.
• Wet soil is darker than dry. So you can use t as the indication for the water requirements of the polka dot plant. 
• Inspect your plant for wilting or drooping leaves.  These leaves are a sign of underwater plants because overwatered plants have lush leaves. Please don’t wait for the plant to wilt or droop water it before.
• The plant foliage turned into yellow or brown in both under and overwatered conditions. So water the plant at the right time and keep it at the average level.
• Pot weight also provides you a rough idea about the water condition of your plant. It weighs more when it has more than enough water.

Signs of Overwatered Polka-Dot Plant

Now you have the guide to check the water level of the polka dot plant. But here are the quick go-through points or signs of the overwatered plants.

• Overwatered polka dot plant has the brown or yellow leaves
• Leaves become limp, wilting, or drooping due to the roots rotting
• The soil becomes logged
• Shedding of both new and old leaves of polka dot plant
• Polka dot plant start giving the mushy smell due to overwatered rots
• Plant foliage has brown spots that are surrounded by the yellow spots
• Start developing the fungal diseases, which is a clear sign of the rot roots

Ways to Water Polka Dot Plant

So it is clear that the polka dot plant must have a consistent water supply. It is advisable to choose the best watering method that helps you get the required water status in the polka dot plant.

Here are some ideal ways to water the polka dot plants. Select one that suits most according to your polka dot plant pot and also easy for you.

Watering from top

Water from the top doesn’t mean that splash it over the leaves. The wet leaves of polka dot plants are prone to fungal and bacterial diseases.

It is best to have a narrow nozzle can that didn’t cause the dampness on the leaves. When your plant soil is half or quarter inch wet, then water thoroughly until it drains out, ensure that your dump off out the excess water from the bottom after 10 to 15 minutes.

Watering from bottom

It is the preferred method than watering from the top for polka dot plants and gives better results in growth and development. For this, you need to have a sturdy saucer with pebbles.

Fill the saucer with fresh water and place some pebbles. These pebbles help to prevent sogginess. Place your polka dot plant pot over on the top of the saucer and wait until the soil is entirely or uniformly wet.

Self-Watering Pots

It is the easiest method to maintain the water levels in potted plants. Take a self-watered pot and fill its reservoir. Then it will do all the watering duty and keep the water level in the polka dot plant.

Precautions to remember for overwatered polka dot plants

If your polka dot plant starts rotting due to o over moist soil, it is best to re-pot it in the new pot. But make sure that it can restart its growth. Then maintain all the requirements and water levels.

Here are some necessary precautions that you need to keep in mind while watering the plants. Polka dot plant enjoys moist soil, but it doesn’t mean that you overwater the pot.

• Ensure that the pot has holes at the bottom to drain the excess water. It helps to improve the aeration as well.
• If you plan to water the plant from the bottom, get a good saucer filled adequately with the pebbles.
• Maintain the uniform moist soil for the polka dot plant as dry soil is also not good for it.
• Check or track the soil condition every day. Ensure the leaves are always dry and didn’t have water splashes.
• Rewater the pot when you feel that half an inch of the soil is dry.

Final thoughts

Summing up the discussion, it is clear that the overwater polka dot plant didn’t go longer. Polka dot plant didn’t survive in under and overwatered soil conditions. It is advisable to track the watering of the plant and water only when required or feel that the soil starts drying out. The dry soil also causes the deterioration in roots.

Polka dot plant leaves are attractive but sensitive to water. So don’t splash water over them.

We hope this guide helps you understand the results of overwatering polka dot plants and enable you to water your plant correctly.

FAQs

Why is my polka dot plant limp?

Polka dot plant limps due to too much or too low light. It causes the plant leaves to fade. Irregularity in watering also causes the limp in the plant as the overwatering starts rotting the roots.

How often should I water my polka dot plant?

Track the water requirement of your polka dot plant. Check the soil dryness and water the plant accordingly. Ensure that half-inch of soil is dry before watering the polka dot plant again.

Do polka dot plants go dormant?

Polka dot plant has a short life. It is not long-lived like other indoor plants. So once it has flowers, it starts moving into dormant phases and may die at the end.