A plant that has just moved into lower light also uses less water. The growing mix stays wet for longer than it did in the nursery, so the watering rhythm you saw there may be too much at home.
Water only when the mix feels somewhat dry, then water thoroughly so it runs out of the drainage holes, and tip away what collects in the saucer. The University of Missouri notes that more houseplants die from overwatering than any other cause, and that during acclimatisation it helps to stretch the time between waterings a little, without letting the plant wilt.
Check with your finger or by lifting the pot rather than following a fixed calendar. Humid tropical homes and air-conditioned rooms can dry pots at very different speeds, so let the plant, not the day of the week, tell you.
If the mix is still wet a week after watering and leaves are yellowing, that is a warning sign, which the next lesson covers.
Key points
- Plants in lower light dry out more slowly.
- Water when the mix is somewhat dry, then water thoroughly.
- Never leave the pot standing in water.
Try this
Lift your newest plant's pot just after watering and again a few days later to learn how much lighter it feels when dry.
Check yourself
Read more in the reference
Sources
Marking a lesson done is kept on this device only.