Question
Hi!
All of my houseplants have been dying lately. I have three large yucca plants that have been doing well for a year indoors. However, recently they have just started dropping their leaves and those that remain look droopy. These get lots of sun are in 20 gallon pots in a southeast window, and may have been overwatered.  I have been watering once a week since it was so extremely hot this summer in Southern California. I have not watered these for two weeks, yet the soil on the top still feels wet. Do you think that there is a possibility that the leaves will grow back and the plant will still live? Is it possible that the plants have root rot?  My paddle plants and anthurium are also loosing their leaves. They are in lower light areas and watered once per week.

Thank you for your time and assistance!
LJ

Answer
LJ,

Unfortunately overwatering and the root rot that follows it kills more plants than any other problem. Twenty gallon pots are huge for yucca plants. I have a twenty five year old yucca with 3 plants in the same pot and it is only a 6 gallon pot. Too large a pot makes it too easy to overwater. Plants are much better off being kept in smaller pots where they are somewhat rootbound. They suffer from a lot less root rot that way. Do not water your plants again until they are very dry and feel light weight when you pick them up or tilt them. The soil may feel dry on the surface but unless the pot feels light weight there is still a lot of water lower in the pot.  I suspect that your paddle plants and anthurium has the same problem. The roots need to breath between waterings or they begin to rot. The soil must dry out. Keeping them constantly moist will kill them. If they dry out fast enough they may still survive. Good luck.

Darlene