Unfortunately, plant scares are more common than anyone who has and enjoys caring for them would like. Especially when it comes to plants that sometimes go unattended for long periods, as is the case when we go on vacation or if you have plants in your second home that you visit from time to time. However, although it is always a situation to avoid, it does not necessarily mean the end of the plant. Coming home and finding the plants dry due to lack of irrigation or some other factor can be a disaster, but in most cases it is a recoverable situation.
If you want to learn how to revive a plant whether it is dry, drowned or sick, keep reading us in this article.
Tips to recover a dry plant
For example, if you have spent two weeks out in the middle of August and you have forgotten to leave an irrigation system for the plants . When you get home, especially if they were in the sun, the outlook will probably be bleak. But don’t give up just yet, there are chances to get them back. If you want to know how to revive a dry plant , follow these steps:
- Prune off any wilted stems and leaves on the plant. If the dehydration has been severe, this likely involves quite aggressive pruning. Do not worry about it and go ahead, as this step is vital so that the plant can focus its limited forces on its healthy parts. A dry plant cannot afford to send nutrients to its wilted parts. Remember to always disinfect your pruning tools before you start.
- Check that it has not been attacked by any pest that has taken advantage of its state and carefully remove the surface part of the substrate. A dry substrate cakes, and does not allow irrigation water to penetrate it.
- Once the surface layer of soil is removed, remove the root ball of the plant from its pot or the ground, trying to damage the roots as little as possible in the process.
- When you have it outside, soak the root ball in warm water for about 10 minutes, so that the plant hydrates again. It is very important that the water is at a warm temperature and not cold, as it penetrates the substrate better.
- Leave the root ball in a dish where it can drain the excess water, and plant it in a new pot with a new substrate.
- Place it in an illuminated area, but where it does not receive direct sunlight.
It is very important that you keep in mind that this recovery method has a good chance of working, but only the first time. A plant that has been exposed to such a critical state partly loses its ability to recover, and it is very difficult for it to survive it again.
Reviving a drowned plant – the keys
If you have watered your plant too much, either because it is a species that does not tolerate abundant watering or because it is in a pot without adequate drainage, you are in a situation as dangerous for the plant as not having watered it for a long time. If you are dealing with plants with fallen leaves or with dry leaves at the tips and yellowish, it is likely that you have fallen into an excess of watering . Thus, to recover a drowned plant, follow these steps:
- Remove the root ball from the plant as carefully as you can. Keep in mind that a drowned plant breaks very easily, so you must be especially careful with its stems and, especially, with its roots.
- Tap the edges of the pot to loosen the roots from its sides, and carefully scoop out the plant.
- Once the root ball is removed, clean it of soil. Do it very delicately and without wetting it, freeing the roots from the damp soil.
- Once you have them free, wrap them in absorbent paper and let them rest for a full day, changing the paper if it gets soaked.
- After the day, prune the rotten or very brown roots, re-plant the plant, and do not water it for a few days.
How to revive a diseased plant: eliminate fungi and pests
Here are tips and some ideas for home remedies to revive diseased plants , depending on whether they have fungus or insect pests.
How to recover a plant with fungus
Recovering a plant attacked by fungi is very difficult, but it is always worth a try. The first thing is to avoid the problem that has originally attracted the fungus, such as excess moisture, and then treat the plant itself. To do this: clean its leaves, extract the root ball and also clean its roots. Change the pot and the substrate completely, and take extreme care and caution about your plant.
How to revive a plant with a pest
With pests it tends to be easier than with fungi, and once the pest has been identified and eliminated from its leaves or stems, as with aphids or mealybugs, the plant will begin to recover immediately. To do this: prune the dry parts, leave it in an illuminated area, but without direct sun, and measure the irrigation and fertilizer inputs very well.
