How To Tell If Money Plant Needs Water: 5 Visual Cues Your Plant Is

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Is there anything more rewarding than watching your Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum) send out lush, vibrant new leaves? But let’s be honest, there’s also a little bit of anxiety that comes with it. Is it getting enough light? Enough humidity? And the biggest question of all: am I watering it correctly?

You’re not alone if you feel like watering is a confusing guessing game. Overwatering is the number one killer of houseplants, yet an underwatered plant is a stressed and unhappy one. It’s a delicate balance! But I promise you, your Money Plant is constantly communicating its needs to you. You just need to learn its language.

This is your complete how to tell if money plant needs water care guide. We’re going to move beyond rigid schedules and dive into the simple, intuitive signs your plant gives you when it’s thirsty. By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to confidently check your plant, understand exactly what it’s telling you, and give it the perfect amount of water every single time.

Let’s unlock the secrets to a thriving, beautiful Money Plant together!

Why Proper Watering is a Game-Changer for Your Money Plant

Before we jump into the “how,” let’s quickly cover the “why.” Understanding the importance of water is the first step in becoming a more intuitive plant parent. It’s one of the key benefits of how to tell if money plant needs water correctly—it transforms your plant’s health.

Water is more than just a drink for your Money Plant. It’s essential for several vital functions:

  • Photosynthesis: Water is a key ingredient your plant uses, along with sunlight and carbon dioxide, to create its own food. No water, no energy.
  • Nutrient Transport: Think of water as the delivery system. It dissolves nutrients in the soil and carries them up through the roots to the stems and leaves where they are needed.
  • Structural Support: Water fills the plant’s cells, creating pressure called “turgor.” This is what keeps the stems firm and the leaves perky and upright. A thirsty plant literally starts to lose its structure.

The goal isn’t just to give your plant water; it’s to provide the right amount at the right time. Too much water suffocates the roots, leading to the dreaded root rot. Too little water stresses the plant, stunting its growth and causing leaves to die off. Finding that sweet spot is the secret to success.

The Classic Method: How to Tell if Money Plant Needs Water with a Soil Check

When someone asks me for watering advice, this is always the first technique I teach. It’s simple, effective, and connects you directly with your plant’s environment. This is one of the most reliable how to tell if money plant needs water tips you’ll ever learn.

The Two-Inch Finger Test

Forget watering on a strict “every Saturday” schedule. Your plant’s needs change with the seasons, light, and humidity. Instead, let the soil be your guide.

  1. Gently insert your index finger into the soil, about 1 to 2 inches deep. Don’t just poke the very top surface, as it often dries out first.
  2. Pay attention to the feeling. Does the soil feel cool and moist? Can you feel moisture on your fingertip? If so, your plant is still hydrated. Hold off on watering for another day or two.
  3. If the soil feels dry and dusty and your finger comes out clean, it’s time to water!

Pro-Tip: The Chopstick Method

If you don’t want to get your fingers dirty, a simple wooden chopstick or a bamboo skewer works just as well. Think of it like testing a cake for doneness.

Simply push the chopstick a few inches into the soil, leave it for about ten seconds, and pull it out. If it comes out clean and dry, your plant is thirsty. If it has dark, moist soil clinging to it, you can wait a bit longer.

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Reading the Leaves: Visual Cues Your Money Plant is Thirsty

Your Money Plant’s leaves are incredibly expressive. They will give you clear visual signals when they are in desperate need of a drink. Learning to spot these early signs is a cornerstone of this how to tell if money plant needs water guide.

Sign #1: The Telltale Droop or Wilt

This is the most dramatic and obvious sign. Remember that turgor pressure we talked about? When the cells lose water, they lose that internal pressure, causing the leaves and stems to look limp, sad, and droopy. A healthy, hydrated Money Plant has perky leaves that reach for the light. A thirsty one looks tired and hangs down.

Don’t panic if you see this! Money Plants are very resilient and will usually perk right back up within a few hours of a good, thorough watering.

Sign #2: Curling or “Taco” Leaves

Before a full-on wilt, you might notice the edges of the leaves starting to curl inward, resembling a taco shell. This is a clever defense mechanism. By curling up, the plant reduces the leaf’s surface area exposed to air and light, which helps it conserve precious moisture.

If you see your leaves starting to curl, it’s a clear signal that the soil is getting dry and it’s time to check it. This is an earlier warning sign than a full droop.

Sign #3: Crispy Brown Edges and Tips

If underwatering becomes a chronic issue, you may start to see the tips or edges of the leaves turn brown, dry, and crispy to the touch. This happens when the plant doesn’t have enough water to send all the way to its extremities. The cells at the very edge of the leaf are the first to die off from a lack of hydration.

It’s important to distinguish this from the soggy, yellowing leaves often associated with overwatering. Crispy and brown almost always points to a lack of moisture.

Advanced Techniques for the Avid Gardener

Once you’ve mastered the basics of soil and leaf checks, you can add a few more advanced techniques to your toolkit. These methods help you develop an even deeper, more intuitive sense of your plant’s needs.

The Weight Test: Feel the Difference

This is a favorite trick of seasoned gardeners. The next time you fully water your Money Plant, take a moment to pick it up and feel its weight. Get a sense of how heavy a fully saturated pot feels.

Over the next week or so, pick it up periodically. You will be amazed at how much lighter it becomes as the plant uses the water and it evaporates from the soil. When the pot feels noticeably lightweight, it’s a very reliable indicator that it’s time to water again.

Using a Moisture Meter

For those who love gadgets, a soil moisture meter can be a helpful tool. It’s a simple probe you insert into the soil that gives you a reading on a scale from “Dry” to “Moist” to “Wet.”

While useful, don’t rely on it exclusively. They can sometimes be inaccurate, so it’s best to use a meter in combination with the other physical checks we’ve discussed. It’s a great way to confirm your suspicions, especially when you’re just starting out.

Common Problems with How to Tell if Money Plant Needs Water (and Their Solutions)

Even with the best intentions, we can run into issues. Addressing these common problems with how to tell if money plant needs water is key to long-term success. The biggest challenge is often distinguishing between under- and overwatering, as some symptoms can look similar.

The Overwatering Trap

The most common mistake plant parents make is watering too frequently out of love. But this kindness can be deadly. Signs of overwatering include:

  • Yellowing leaves, especially lower ones, that feel soft or mushy.
  • Brown spots on leaves that are soft, not crispy.
  • A musty, swampy smell coming from the soil.
  • Mushy stems near the soil line.
  • The presence of fungus gnats (tiny black flies) hovering around the soil.

The solution is simple but requires patience: let the soil dry out. Always, always check the soil before adding more water. Ensure your pot has excellent drainage holes to let excess water escape.

The Trouble with a Strict Schedule

As we’ve mentioned, watering every Sunday is a recipe for disaster. A plant in a bright, warm window in summer will need water far more often than the same plant in a darker corner during winter. Ditch the calendar and listen to your plant instead. This is one of the most important how to tell if money plant needs water best practices.

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Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Watering Best Practices

Caring for your plants can also be an opportunity to care for our planet. Adopting a few sustainable how to tell if money plant needs water habits can make a big difference for your plant’s health and the environment.

Use Room-Temperature Water

Using icy cold tap water can shock your plant’s root system. A simple, eco-friendly how to tell if money plant needs water tip is to fill your watering can and let it sit out for a few hours (or overnight). This allows the water to come to room temperature and also helps some of the chlorine in tap water evaporate.

Master the Art of Bottom-Watering

Instead of watering from the top, try bottom-watering! Place your plant pot (which must have drainage holes) in a tray, sink, or tub with a few inches of water. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes.

The plant will soak up exactly what it needs through the drainage holes. This encourages roots to grow down deep, reduces the risk of pests on the soil surface, and ensures the entire root ball is evenly hydrated. Once the top of the soil feels faintly moist, remove it from the water and let it drain completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I actually water my money plant?

There is no single answer! It completely depends on your home’s environment. It could be every 5 days in the summer or every 2-3 weeks in the winter. The key is not to watch the calendar, but to check the soil moisture every few days and water only when the top 1-2 inches are dry.

Can I grow a money plant in just water?

Yes, you absolutely can! Money Plants are famous for their ability to thrive in a simple vase of water. However, you’ll need to change the water every 7-10 days to keep it fresh and prevent algae growth. You will also need to add a few drops of liquid fertilizer occasionally, as it won’t be getting nutrients from soil.

My money plant’s leaves are yellow, but the soil is dry. What’s wrong?

While yellowing leaves are often a sign of overwatering, they can also signal severe underwatering. If the plant has been left dry for too long, it may start sacrificing its oldest leaves (usually the ones closer to the base) to conserve energy. If the soil is bone-dry and the yellow leaves are accompanied by wilting or crispy edges, it’s likely very thirsty.

Your Journey to a Thriving Money Plant

You now have all the tools and knowledge you need. You’re no longer just a plant owner; you’re a plant communicator! By learning to read the signs—the feel of the soil, the droop of a leaf, the curl of an edge, and the weight of the pot—you’ve moved beyond guesswork and into a true partnership with your Money Plant.

Remember, consistency is more important than frequency. A consistent habit of checking your plant will tell you far more than a rigid watering schedule ever could.

So go take a look at your Money Plant. What is it telling you today? You’ve got this. Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
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