Even the most experienced plant enthusiasts occasionally encounter plants with limp leaves or browning stems that need tending to. With some patience, however, you can revive a struggling houseplant!
Beginning with a thorough assessment of your plant’s conditions, an in-depth investigation into soil moisture levels and foliage examination will reveal its source.
Watering
Even experienced plant parents occasionally face challenges in caring for houseplants. Droopy leaves and brown stems may come with caring for indoor plants, but there are steps you can take to bring life back into them.
A common factor that causes plants to wilt is an inadequate water supply, either due to overwatering or infrequent irrigation. If your plant appears dehydrated, first check its soil moisture level by sticking two knuckles deep into the soil and see if it feels dry or moist – if dryness exists, then give a good watering session; be wary of overwatering, though, as too much can also have negative consequences for its wellbeing.
Checking soil temperature is also crucial; excessively warm or cold soil temperatures can cause plants to wilt. Too few nutrients might be available, or their roots could be constrained within their container, leading them to die off quickly. A light fertilizer application or root pruning is necessary for recovery.
Other causes of wilting include soil diseases and pests, overcrowding, and physical damage to roots or stems. Overcrowding can reduce seedlings’ access to water and nutrients; physical damage prevents its roots from hydrating themselves correctly;
Some plants may experience too little sunlight, leading to their leaves to wilt. Luckily, this problem can easily be remedied by simply moving the plant to a sunnier position.
Fertilizing
Nutrient deficiencies cause many plant issues, so you may be tempted to give your struggling plant some nourishment immediately. But over-fertilizing can actually worsen matters as overdosed fertilizer becomes absorbed by soil and then runs off into lakes, rivers, and streams, polluting oxygen levels while potentially poisonous aquatic life and species. Therefore, before giving fertilizer another boost, try other revitalization steps first before resorting to overfeeding your struggling plants with fertilizers.
Over-fertilization can also damage the roots of your plants, as the excess nutrients will be taken up by their roots and cause them to stop growing normally. This may result in root rot symptoms, including wilting, brown leaves, and root rot; to avoid this problem, constantly water your plants after fertilizing with slow-release, low-salt fertilizer.
When watering plants, only water must be applied directly onto the soil. Watering directly onto plants may result in fungal disease; to help monitor this aspect of their care, using a soil moisture meter can be invaluable.
Repotting can also help revive a struggling plant. Sometimes, the roots outgrow their pot, creating stress for the plant that needs relief in the form of fresh, well-draining soil in larger containers. Repotting can give your struggling plants another chance at life!
Pruning and trimming a struggling plant can be beneficial. Not only will this improve its appearance, but it will also redirect energy toward growth. For instance, if your Maidenhair Fern is struggling, trimming off any dead stems and leaves could promote healthy development and restore vitality to its leaves.
Sunlight
Untreated plants not receiving enough sunlight may exhibit symptoms such as yellowed leaves or slow growth. To assist the plant in its recovery, move it to a more sunlight-drenched spot or place a tray or humidifier next to it to increase humidity levels; this helps the leaves absorb moisture through their leaves more readily.
Too much heat can also contribute to plant wilting, although this may be difficult during the summer months. There are ways you can mitigate its effects, though, such as growing it in a partially shaded location and watering frequently.
Too much fertilizer may also cause plants to wilt. Luckily, this issue can be easily remedied with just an adjustment in the frequency of fertilization – follow these steps for success!
Returning a plant to life may be challenging, but it’s worth giving it a shot. With some extra time and care, you could save some of your houseplants from leaving us forever and bring new life back into them. However, some species can’t be saved no matter what. So, if your dead or dying houseplant seems beyond saving, it may be time to accept that the time has come to say farewell and find alternative solutions. Please take a close look at what exactly is wrong so that once you understand its condition, you can begin working towards finding solutions.
Humidity
If your houseplant has been wilting and appearing dead, you must identify what the source of its distress may be. A number of techniques exist for rejuvenating dead houseplants: proper watering, changing their environment, and regular misting can all help bring life back into them. Humidity may also play a part; many tropical species require high levels of humidity, while indoor plants near heat vents may need an increase in moisture during winter to avoid dryness and cracking of their soil.
If a plant has been neglected, its leaves may become brown and limp, and its soil may crack. To revive this type of plant, water until all the soil has been thoroughly saturated will prevent fungal disease that could potentially harm it further. You could also move it somewhere humid out of direct sunlight, such as your bathroom, where its leaves can soak up more moisture from its environment.
If your plant shows no sign of improvement, it may already be beyond saving. But you could give it one more try by decreasing the watering frequency and watering more slowly – as was done for Goldie the Goldfish plant (who wilted due to overwatering), before being repotted with better drainage soil in two weeks and misted regularly to increase humidity or placing in a tray with water for example.