You saw a plant you cherished in a shop or nursery. You brought it home, and for quite a long time it made you feel good inside. But then it started to die. In any case, everything isn't lost. Regularly a plant that looks very dead actually has a touch of life in it and will phenomenally begin developing again with the correct consideration.
How to revive a dying plant
Here are 15 hacks that will resurrect your dead plant.
- First have a thorough check to see if the plant is actually dead or not:
If you see dead or dried leaves on a plant, that simply cannot mean that the plant is fully dead. Check for other parts such as stems and roots. If the stems are still green and firm on the inside, then you still have a chance of saving the plant. However, if the roots and stems of the dying plant are squishy and frail or brittle, then it is too late to save the plant.
- Cut down the dead parts of the plant:
Try cutting the dead parts of the plants. Start with the dried leaves and generally move towards the stems. Go very slow and check for the green part while cutting down. Trimming increases the chances of survival for the plant as the same can push all its energy towards those parts that are still alive. New parts will grow from the trimmed parts.
- Do not cut the stems fully:
Stems have completely dried out, however the roots of the plant are still alive. In this case keep the dried stem still intact to the root to a height of 4 to 6 cm above ground. This is to be done to allow new growth that will eventually come through these stems.
- Find out the real problem:
There might be many problems that are causing the plant to die. Try and find out the real culprit. It can be due to lack of nutrition, related to the amount of water, any disease or pest, related to the amount of sunlight etc.
- Please water a dehydrated plant:
Whenever you see brown leaves with dried or curly edges, that’s a sure indication of a thirsty plant. If this is the case and your plant is dying because of less water. Please water your plant immediately.
- More water hungry plant should be moved to humid place:
If you have a plant that demands more water, and you miss to water it everyday. Then move your plant away from the sun to a more humid location. If the plant is located inside your house, one such location is the bathroom.
- Try using water that is filtered:
In many cases, impurities in water such as chloride, fluoride etc. have a bad impact on a plant’s health. One such example is bamboo; water with chlorine can actually kill a bamboo plant. Try installing a tank and gathering rainwater and use the same for watering purposes.
- Try replanting a overwatered plant:
An over watered plant will look limp and will develop yellow coloured leaves. The best possible solution to save a plant dying because of over-watering is to replant it in drier soil,
- Pull back on fertilizers:
When a plant is struggling to survive, adding fertilizer will do bad rather than good. Do not add fertilizer till the plant has recovered and is ready for some nutrition. A diseased plant’s root might get damaged because of fertilizers.
- More sunny location might be sufficient:
When a plant is lacking sunlight, it will develop smaller pale leaves and weaker stems. Many plants need a lot of sunlight for proper growth. Simply move the plant to a more bright and sunny area.
- Exposed plants to be moved into shade:
Some plants do not require too much sunlight and over exposure to sun can make them develop dark dried out leaves with patches. Move your plant to another place with less exposure to sun or make a canopy above the plant.
- Feed nutrition to your plant:
Malnutrition in plants can lead to irregular growth, discoloration, uneven leaves and weak stems. Move the plant to a new location and provide necessary manure and fertilizer for revival.
- Get a bigger space:
Sometimes the pot gets smaller for the plant and the same tends to die. Move the plant to a bigger pot with proper drainage and include fertile soil for its roots to grow up to its full potential.
- Pest Control:
Always check for signs of insects and pests in your plants. Signs include curled leaves, folded leaves, uneven growth, deformation and discoloration of leaves etc. Most common sign is holes in the leaves. Use soap water for effective prevention.
- Disease Control:
Plants are vulnerable to diseases and every disease has its own symptoms and cure. If you think your plant has become affected, consult an expert to identify the disease and do the needful to cure it. Also keep the affected plant in isolation to avoid further infection.
