How to save wilted plants is the first lesson every plant lover should learn to help you in times of crisis with your plants – first check for signs of life and if you find any you can still save it by giving it the correct water, light and fertilizing.
A dying plant may look deceptive, but a few tricks up your sleeve can revive it instead of you having to throw it away. If you trim the wilted leaves and repot it in another pot, your plant will thrive! Here are some more gardening hacks to help you revive your plant instead of tossing it out.
How To Save Wilted Plants in 7 Simple Steps?
To save wilted plants in seven steps you can start by first checking for signs of life, thereafter you should check the water levels, remove all the dead leaves, adjust the lighting, check the humidity levels and add more nutrients.
1. Check for Signs of Life
Wilting plants are not dead; they are just missing out on some nutrients or minerals to be healthy like the rest. If the wilting plant has some green on the stem, it can live again. Check the roots, too, and see if they have any signs of recovery. If you find any signs of life, the next step is to figure out how to save your plant.
2. Check for Water Levels
If your plant has water problems, it will wilt. Check to see if it is receiving too much or too little water. Most plants are sensitive to inadequate or too much water and react quickly to any needs.
Overwatered plants will have wilted, brown or yellow leaves. The soil will also be too moist. For such plants, keep them out of direct sunlight and lightly water them. If possible, repot them in fresh soil as soon as possible.
If your plant is underwatered, it will have dry brown and drooping leaves and dry and hard soil. To revive such plants, water them well and place them in a humid area for indoor plants. Lightly water frequently and keep away from direct sunlight.
In both cases of overwatering and underwatering, you will know the plant has fully recovered once it returns to its healthy green color, with the soil neither too moist nor too dry and hard.
3. Remove All the Dead Leaves
Some wilting leaves, especially those at the stem’s lower parts, may die. It is crucial to remove them if they are scorched and have turned brown. These leaves will not grow back again and will only make your plant look ugly.
Removing them helps your plant focus on new growth. To remove them, use a sharp, clean pair of scissors or gently pinch the leaf with your fingertip. Don’t injure the stem in this process, as it might cause the plant to die.
4. Adjust the Lighting
Lighting is an essential factor for the health of your plants, both indoors and outdoors. Ensure your plans get the optimal amount, not too much or too little. Ensure you know if your plant requires low light, partial sun, full sun, or direct or indirect sunlight so you provide as needed. Consider buying a grow light if you notice you have low light indoors.
5. Check the Humidity Levels
The amount of humidity required depends on the type of plant. Some indications indicate that your plant needs more moisture, such as wilting, browning, and shriveling. If you notice these signs on your plants, add more humidity by misting them regularly or grouping them to increase the humidity. On the other hand, too much humidity can also be a big problem.
High humidity causes plants to develop mildew, mold, fungal infections, and yellow leaves. In such cases, lower the humidity by keeping the plant next to a heater or air vent for a while to eliminate the growth of mold and fungal infections.
6. Add More Nutrients
Feeding your plant is critically important during the growing seasons. A malnourished plant will have weak stems and discolored leaves. To revive this plant, you will need to feed it with fertilizer or compost.
Go for fertilizers that contain organic ingredients as they are friendly to the plant and the environment. You can choose to repot your plant before adding more nutrients if necessary. After several years, soil depletes nutrients, so repotting is always a good idea.
If your plant is in a very poor state, add the nutrients slowly by slowly. Over time, the plant will be back to its regular growth habit. If you give it too many nutrients at once, the plant might be overwhelmed and die.
7. Be Patient With the Recovery Process
It is easy to think your efforts are not paying off when saving a dying plant. However, remember it took a while for this plant to get to the stage of almost dying, and it will take time to nurse it back to life.
The key is to be patient and keep tending to it for a few weeks to re-evaluate it. This plant can take up to a month before you start to see the new growth, so exercise patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
– What Are the Common Causes of Wilting?
The most common cause of wilting is due to incorrect watering. Both under and overwatering can cause the plant to wilt for different reasons, obviously. But the result is the same. There can also be a pest or disease to blame.
– How Long Does It Take for a Wilted Plant To Come Back to Health?
A wilted plant can come back to health in as little as a few days to a month. This depends on the level of wilting, so be patient to allow the plant to recover fully. Just make sure that you have made sure what the cause was to begin with.
Conclusion
The simple steps above will help you learn how to save wilted plants before they die completely. Reviving a dying plant is the best way to preserve your plants instead of losing them all. Here are some crucial points to remember before working to save your plant:
- First, diagnose why your plant is wilting before trying to save it so you can know precisely what steps to use.
- Once you diagnose, follow the steps that will work to revive your plant and be consistent while at it.
- Spider mites and different diseases can also cause plants to wilt.
- You will need to exercise patience to revive your plant, as it will take some time to be healthy again.
Finally, you have the power to revive dying plants in your hands; go forth and exercise it!
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