Flowers That Get Too Much Water

Several regular tasks are associated with growing a flower garden. You must take care of the flowers by providing nourishment through fertilizers, sunshine and water. And that's just the beginning of raising the healthiest flowers you can. Watering flowers is probably the most routine task you will have when raising flowers, but if you don't approach it with some knowledge you could do more damage than good. According to the Garden Zone website, more flowers die from over watering than under watering. Make sure you know the consequences of too much water on your flowers.

One of the first signs of too much water on a flowering plant is the yellowing of the plant's leaves. This generally happens on the lowest leaves of the plant first. When the flower's roots are soaking up an abundance of water, the bottom leaves are the first ones to realize it. This excess hydration will cause yellowing and will eventually cause the leaves to shrivel, turn brown and dry up. At this point it's possible the entire plant has succumbed to what amounts to drowning.

If the bottom leaves are turning yellow then keep an eye on the blooms themselves. Often when a plant has been given too much water it will also begin shedding blooms. If both of these conditions exist it is important to decrease the amount of water getting to the soil in your flower garden or the plants could die.

Flower roots like to be in moist, nutrient-filled, well-drained soil. When overwatering leads to saturated roots that sit in water for an extended period of time it can lead to a condition known as root rot. Root rot is a fungal infection that enters through the small feeder roots and commences to spread throughout the plant over the course of a week to 10 days. This usually results in plant death. The fungus may be present in some soils, but its ability to grow and cause problems is dependent on very moist and cool conditions in the soil. Watering the flowers too much sets the stage for root rot.

Once a flowering plant has been exposed to too much water for an extended period, the entire plant will begin to sag or droop. This is a sign that the plant is weak and oversaturated. Often the plant will not be able to recover, but replanting in a dryer soil may allow it to revive.

When you water your plants, regardless of what type of plants they are, the goal remains the same. You want to moisturize the root system. So, watering amounts depend on the flower itself, the weather or climate conditions and the soil type. Generally, the rule of thumb for watering outside flowers is an inch per week, according to the Garden Zone website. But you must take into consideration any rain that has fallen recently, the temperatures outside and the type of soil. Hot temperatures and fast-draining soils such as sandy soil may require more than average amounts of water.