Most houseplants, and especially the beginner-level specimens, like dry over wet. They want soil that is dry on the surface, but slightly damp a few inches down. If you allow the soil to go bone dry, however, your plant will send out distress signals in the form of wilted or brown, shriveled leaves. The symptoms of underwatering can be similar to those of overwatering, so feel the soil with your finger an inch or two down. If it is like dust, you can be sure that underwatering is to blame. Give it a generous dowsing and watch for the leaves to perk back up. Most plants will bounce back easily from dehydration, but not if you make a habit of it. Neglect your plant too frequently and you might find it attacked by pests and disease, which flock to weaklings. Be sure not to overcompensate for your lapse in watering and drown your plant, which can be just as dangerous, if not even more stressful.