Wilted plants: how to revive a dehydrated indoor plant?
Dehydrated plants: Have you just spotted a dying indoor plant and you don’t know what to do? Its leaves are brown, its stem is dry, and it seems to be ready to be thrown in the trash. Before throwing it away, you naturally wonder if it is possible to save it. To find out how to save a withered plant, here are some solutions.
Photo by © wubulus
How to revive a dry plant?
Dehydration is a common cause of plant loss that can occur at any time. Appearances can sometimes be deceiving and a plant may appear to be dead. Here are some gardening tips on how to bring plants back to life, rather than throwing them away:
Look for signs of life
When it comes to plants, the term “dead” is very relative. First of all, you need to check if the plant is still alive. Your plant may look dead, but any sign of green on the stem means there’s a chance you can bring it back to life. To do this, scrape the base of the stem and see if there is a green layer. If so, the plant is alive! Moreover, You should also check the roots. Healthy roots should appear plump and be white to tan in color with white tips. If you find signs of life, the next step is to figure out what went wrong and then revive your plant.
Remove dead leaves
The plant struggles to try to save the parts that are drying out, at the expense of what is still in good condition. You must therefore help it by eliminating deas leaves. To remove dead leaves, cut them with secateurs or a pair of scissors. You can also gently pinch the dead leaves with your fingertips. If the leaves are completely brown, they usually come off the stem easily, but if you have to pull them, use a pair of shears.
Cut the stems
You need to remove the dead parts of the stems. You have to stop cutting as soon as you see the green color at the center of the stem where sap is still circulating. The aerial part fills up with chlorophyll through photosynthesis and captures the light energy necessary for its survival and development.
Move the plant
Lighting is an important factor in the health of your houseplants. A dried out plant should be watered abundantly and then placed in natural light or, according to its needs, in a more suitable area of your home, with direct or indirect light. With this simple adjustment, depending on the condition of your plant, it could recover much faster than you think.
Water the plant if it is too dry
Looking closely at your plant, check that the soil is touching the edges of its pot and that its leaves are not brown and curled up. If so, your plant is simply lacking water. To save the withered plant, you can do it in two ways. You can add water every day to gradually rehydrate the plant without drowning it. On the other hand, you can give it a bath by putting the pot in water at room temperature and letting the plant hydrate at its own pace and regain its strength. Also, remember to mist the leaves to rehydrate them.
Give extra nutrients for the growth of your plants
Feeding your plant is especially important because a poorly nourished plant will have weak stems or discolored leaves. To revive a dehydrated plant, you will therefore need compost or fertilizer. However, if the plant was tired, do not fertilize it right away but wait for the roots to get stronger. Most plants do best with a little fertilizer, usually once or twice a month. There are great natural fertilizers in stores, which you can combine with rich soil or topsoil mixed with potting soil.
Repot your houseplants regularly
Once the dehydrated plant has regained its strength, you must repot it. In principle, we should repot a plant every 2 or 3 years, depending on the variety and its speed of development. Make sure the new soil is aerated so that the water is perfectly drained and the plant can soak up the nutrients present in the soil. Then chose the appropriate pot, because a plant that lacks space will show signs of weakness.
Did You find this helpful? Share it with your friends!