Houseplants are an asset to the home. In addition to decorating indoor spaces, certain plants are effective in improving the quality of ambient air and purifying it of toxins. However, to benefit from the virtues of houseplants, good maintenance is essential, otherwise they risk withering and dying. That said, find out how to revive a dead plant using simple actions.
Indoor plants need regular maintenance to keep them vigorous and lush. With simple gestures, you bring a withered plant back to life.
How to revive a dead plant?
Before trying to save a withered plant, you should first check whether it is still possible to revive it. To do this, you should check the stems. Cut off the base and see what color the inside of the stem is. If you find a green layer, it means that the plant can still be saved. On the other hand, if the inside of the stem is brown, and on top of that, it breaks easily, this means that it is no longer possible to restart the plant. In the event that it is still possible to save it, here are the simple actions to adopt in order to bring it back to life.
- Prune the plant
When the plant begins to wilt, it attempts to save the parts that are beginning to die. This tends to weaken it further. This is why it is important to remove anything that seems dead to you. To do this, simply cut off the parts that appear dry, yellowish, soft or brown using cleaned and disinfected pruning shears.
- Change the location of the plant
Indoor plants do not have the same light requirements. Some plants prefer to stay in the shade, such as ferns, begonias or bamboo, while others like very bright exposure, such as succulents. If your plant begins to wilt, change its location to improve its sunlight conditions.
- Check the humidity of the plant’s soil
Although water is a vital element for plants, overwatering can also harm your houseplants. Indeed, this can cause the roots to rot and suffocate them. If the soil is full of water, take your plant out of the pot to allow the roots to dry, and remove the rotten roots. To do this, use pruning shears to remove the roots that appear brown or soft to you, so that only the white roots are left. After this step, repot your plant in a new pot that contains drainage holes. Place clay balls at the bottom of the pot to promote drainage.
If, on the other hand, you notice that your plant’s soil is very dry, this means that its wilting is due to a lack of water. In this case, your plant will need a bath. Bathe the pot in the sink using room temperature water. This will allow your plant to regain all its vitality. Choose non-calcareous water for your plant, such as spring water, and don’t forget after each watering to remove any stagnant water in the saucer or pot.
- Add fertilizer to the plant
Lack of nutrients is also a factor responsible for wilting plants. That said, when repotting, consider using nutrient-rich soil, or add a natural fertilizer to the potting mix such as coffee grounds, vegetable or pasta cooking water, or even wood ashes.
- Protect the plant from pests
Parasites or pests that attack your plants can weaken them and cause them to wilt. It is therefore important to protect your plant from parasites such as aphids, mealybugs or red spiders, especially if you find holes or white marks on the foliage. To do this, several ecological and natural tips can help you effectively eliminate these pests such as white vinegar or black soap.
Thanks to these simple actions, you will be able to save your dying plant and make it vigorous and luxuriant again.
