Care problem

Drooping or wilting

Leaves droop when they lose water faster than the roots can deliver it.

What you'll see

• Leaves and soft stems hang limp; the whole plant or just the new growth sags.
• Bone-dry soil and a light pot point to thirst; wet soil and mushy roots point to root rot.
• Wilting on a hot afternoon that recovers by evening is usually harmless.

Why it happens

Leaves droop when they lose water faster than the roots can deliver it, whether the roots are dry, rotting, damaged or crowded.

How to fix it

1. Feel the soil first: if it's dry, water until it drains, and soak the pot if the mix has shrunk.
2. If the soil is wet, don't water; unpot it, check the roots, trim rotten ones and repot in fresh mix.
3. Move the plant out of hot sun and away from heaters until it recovers.
4. If roots fill the pot, repot one size up.

Keep it from coming back

• Water by checking the soil, not the calendar.
• Use pots with drainage holes.
• Shield plants from heat and drafts.

Read more

• How often to water houseplants
• Overwatering vs underwatering
• How to save a dying plant
• How to protect plants in a heat wave
• Watering a vegetable garden

Sources

• University of Maryland Extension: Drought stress to indoor plants
• Clemson HGIC: Houseplant diseases and disorders
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Environmental problems of indoor plants

General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.