Drooping leaves are one of those sure-fire signs that your plant needs some TLC. But working out what kind of help your plant needs – and what caused the issue in the first place – isn’t always straightforward.

You see, not only does it take very little for a plant’s leaves to droop in the first place (it’s one of the most common issues plant owners face), but it can be caused by a variety of factors, meaning you’ll have to look closely to work out exactly what’s going on.

Indeed, while many people think the best way to nurse a wilted plant back to life is to give it a drink, that’s not always the case. While underwatering is one of the reasons why a plant’s leaves might droop, there are actually several other reasons why this might be the case – some of which will actually be made worse by giving your plant more water.

However, despite being a confusing issue to solve, the good news is that it doesn’t take much to fix drooping leaves once you identify the issue. 

So, what are the main reasons why a plant’s leaves turn droopy and wilted? How can you tell which one is affecting your plant? And what can you do to fix it? We asked Richard Cheshire, Patch’s Plant Doctor, to share his expertise. Here’s what he had to say.  

What are the main reasons why plants wilt and droop? 

There are three main reasons why a plant’s leaves are likely to look wilted and droopy. The first is underwatering – aka, what most people suspect when they see a droopy plant.

The second, however, is overwatering – which is why you shouldn’t give your plant a drink as soon as you see one of its leaves flopping over.

“If your plant’s leaves are looking wilted and yellow, the problem is likely overwatering,” Cheshire explains. “Overwatered leaves will have a very soft, floppy look, because they’re waterlogged.”

Another, non-water-related reason why your plant might be drooping is because it’s not getting enough light. “If your plant is not getting enough sun it will wilt because it can’t absorb enough light to feed itself,” Cheshire explains.  

Outside of these three main reasons, plants may also wilt when it’s extremely hot outside, due to a process called transpiration – the official name for the movement of water through the plant. Heat-related wilting occurs when water evaporates from the leaves faster than it can be drawn up from the roots.

A plant’s leaves might also wilt when its pot is no longer big enough for its root system – aka, when it needs repotting. This is because a plant that has outgrown its pot may no longer be able to absorb nutrients properly.  

How can you tell what might be causing your plant’s leaves to droop? And what can you do to fix it? 

The first thing you can do when you notice your plant drooping is to check its soil.

“If it’s really wet, then overwatering is likely,” Cheshire says. “Just leave your plant to dry out, and in the future, only water it when the top two inches of soil feel dry.”

He continues: “If it’s bone dry, you should increase the frequency of watering, but still stick to the same trick above: only water when the top two inches of soil feel dry.” 

If you check the soil and are happy with the amount of water your plant has been receiving, then think about adjusting its light levels. Different plants will prefer different levels of light, but very few will thrive in a super shady spot.

“If it might be due to a lack of light, try moving the plant somewhere a little brighter,” Cheshire recommends. “Be gentle, so just shift it a little closer to a window. Don’t go straight from deep shade to a sunny window, as that will stress your plant out.” 

New to plant parenthood? Check out Stylist’s guide to buying, styling and caring for plants to get started. 

You can find out more about the most common houseplant problems by checking out our range of plant care content, too.

Images: Getty