At times, overwatering can be the result of poor soils. Mainly, if the soil in which your Western red cedar grows does not allow water to drain effectively, the plant will likely begin to decline. If this is the case, you should either amend the soil to improve its drainage characteristics or transplant your Western red cedar to a more favorable growing location. If you grow your Western red cedar in a pot, this can also mean you may need to repot your plant with looser soils in a container that allows for better drainage. An overwatered plant may also contract diseases, which you should try to treat immediately. For an underwatered Western red cedar, the remedy is quite simple. Begin watering more often, and soon your plant will bounce back and return to full health.
The easiest way to tell if you have overwatered your Western red cedar is to observe the plant’s foliage. Specifically, looking at the new growth will give the clearest sign of whether this plant suffers from too much moisture. An overwatered Western red cedar may produce new growth, but that new growth may be discolored or prone to easy breakage. Another sign that the soil for your Western red cedar is too moist is if you notice standing water or that water is not draining quickly in your plant’s growing area. Underwatered Western red cedar trees will also have symptoms present in the foliage. In this case, the leaves may become sparse, brown. Usually, Western red cedar can grow well with rainfulls. If you see such symptoms on your plant, you should consider if there has been too much rain recently or constantly high temperatures, which will help you to make the correct judgment.