Overwatering kills more houseplants than neglect
More potted plants die from too much water than from too little. Grove keeps water off today's list when it is not time. When the watering task shows up, it is a check: does this plant need water today. The guidance lives in the task.
How do I tell overwatering from neglect?
Wet soil and soft yellow leaves usually mean too much water. Dry soil and crispy edges usually mean too little. Read the soil first, then the leaves. Grove names which one you are looking at, and why. When the watering task is on the list, that check is in the task, with the guidance.
Our watering check guide shows how to read soil, pot weight and leaves before you water.
A plant that wilts while the soil is wet or dry is covered in our drooping plant guide.
| Overwatering | Too little water | |
|---|---|---|
| Soil | Wet, heavy, or never dries | Bone dry, pulling from the pot |
| Leaves | Yellow, soft, dropping | Crispy brown edges, droop that perks after a drink |
| Smell / pot | Sour or stale | Dusty, light |
| What to do | Stop, check drainage, let it dry | Water thoroughly, then wait until it needs it |
What does Grove's watering task actually ask you to do?
A lot of plant apps put "water" on a schedule and call it a day. When Grove's watering task shows up, it is a check: does this plant need water today. The guidance is in the task. Lift the pot. Look at the soil. Look at the leaves. Then water if it needs it.
Schedules are a starting point. Your plant is the last word. Grove is there so everyone who helps can learn that plant the same way you do.
When does the watering task show up?
On today's list, by house, room, and plant, including whose turn it is. The watering task only shows up when it belongs on that list. No watering task means do not water.
Plants that drink often stay off Tomorrow, so nobody waters them a day early. When the task does appear, it is still the check: does this plant need water today. Lift the pot. Look at the soil. Look at the leaves. The guidance is in the task.
Does the watering check change with how the plant is grown?
Yes. A hanging basket in moving air dries faster. A closed terrarium is watered rarely. A plant in the ground follows garden weather. Bonsai and hydroponic have their own clocks. The watering task still only shows up when it belongs on today's list. When it does, it is the same check, with guidance that follows how you grow this plant.