How to Revive Plants That Are Dying: Top Tips to Rescue Your Wilting Greenery

Understanding Plant Death

Whether you have a huge collection of houseplants or only a handful, plant death is inevitable and always unfortunate. You care so much for a plant, invest your time and emotions only for the plant to thank you by slowly dying. Maybe you over cared for it? Maybe you forgot about it for a little too long? Perhaps it could be plant pests? Either way, no judgement here. Let’s talk about why a plant may be struggling, determine the problem, and discuss ways to (hopefully) salvage it and get that plant to thrive again, even if it appears completely dead.

A struggling Bamboo plant with dead leaves

What Causes a Plant to Die?

There's a myriad of reasons a plant could die; overwatering, underwatering, too little light, not enough humidity, the list goes on and on. Here are some common issues your indoor plants may be struggling with.

Overwatering:

Overwatering is not caused by how much water you give your plants but rather how often you water a plant. Many plant parents, both new and old, will water a plant too many times leading to root rot. Root rot is the most common way a plant will die. And, it's often hard to tell if a plant has root rot unless you know the signs and treat the rot as quickly as possible. One big red flag for root rot, is when your plant has wilted leaves even with moist soil.

Underwatering:

Yes, underwatering a plant is possible, and causes the opposite effect of root rot. Underwatering a plant will starve the roots of the water it needs and you'll get dry rot. Dry root can also happen from hydrophobic soil. One common problem you'll notice with dry rot, is browning leaves. Especially if you know you haven't been watering the plant frequently.

Pest infestation:

Plant pests are a nuisance and will kill a plant if left untreated. If you notice a sudden onset of yellowing or curled up leaves on your indoor plants, especially the newer leaves, you might have pests. Closely examine the plant’s leaves and look for any signs of little bugs crawling around. You may also see some webbing by the area where the leaves meet the stems or even yellow stippling on the outer edges of the leaves.

Philodendron melanochrysum leaf with thrips

If you want a full detailed article on common plant pests and how to treat for them, read here.

Poor growing conditions:

Poor growing conditions can mean different things like; too little light, too little humidity, or extreme temperatures.

Too little light:

Having the correct amount of lighting is crucial to plant survival. For starters, all plants need light. There's no such thing as a "no light plant" unless it's artificial. So if you notice your plant hasn't grown in a while and it's still struggling despite meeting all other basic needs, it may need more light. Make sure to place the plant in indirect light. Meaning, a place where it won't get directly blasted by the sun but can still see the sky.

Humidity problems:

Humidity levels isn't something you have to worry too much about with many common houseplants. However, if you have certain Philodendrons or more uncommon plants, this may be something you want to look more into. Often times, if you notice new plant leaves getting stuck when they're unfurling or if leaves are curled in and won't return to normal, your humidity may be too low. One way to counter this, is by setting a humidifier in your plant area or putting them in an enclosed place like a greenhouse or cabinet.

Extreme temperatures:

Plants will suffer when in contact with extreme temperatures. Freezing temperatures, cold or dry air coming from vents, or even places that are too hot can result in a plant melting or receiving cold damage. Keep your plant away from drafty windows in the winter time and away from vents and your plant will be just fine.

Close up of a plant leaf with a yellowing/brown spot
Photo by feey on Unsplash

Assessing the Damage

Identifying a Dead or Dying Plant

When assessing a struggling, or near dead plant, you have to determine if the plant is too far gone to be saved. First, I would look at the stem. If the plant’s leaves are all yellowed and gone, look for life in the stem. Does the stem still feel firm? Is it mushy? If you cut some of the top of stem is there still green inside? Any sign of life in the stem will determine if the plant is actually dead or has any chance of coming back to life, as many plants can be revived with proper care.

Next, you’ll need to assess the roots. Unpot the plant and examine the roots. Are the roots mushy or dried up? Is the root system still healthy? As long as you have some healthy roots and a healthy stem with at least one node, there’s a chance your plant can be saved.

A dead, dried up potted plant

Reviving a Dying or Dead Plant

Pruning Dead or Damaged Parts

• First, using clean shears, remove any dead leaves to prevent the spread of disease and encourage new growth. Read here if you want to learn more about pruning plants.

• If the roots are still healthy, cut back any of the dead stems to the healthiest node. However, if you're starting with just a single cutting, you'll need to propagate the cutting. Read here to learn all about the different ways of propagating plants.

• Sometimes plants will try to put out blooms before they die. These are known as death blooms. If you notice this on your plant, cut it back so that it focuses its energy on repairing itself.

• Cut back the plant to make it smaller. Plants have a better chance at bouncing back when it has less to maintain. Cutting back the plant will help promote new leaves as well as help focus its energy on growing new roots and help maintain the current foliage it has.

• If your plant was suffering from pests, cut away any foliage that was severely damaged and treat the plant to make sure the pests don't come back.

Re-potting and Refreshing the Soil

Providing your plant with proper potting soil is crucial for its survival. Whether you’re dealing with root rot or dry rot, gently remove the plant from its current pot and cut away any unhealthy roots. Next, get a fresh potting soil mixture curated for indoor plants. You can purchase this soil from a local garden center and add orchid bark and perlite to ensure it has proper drainage. Or, if you want a soil that’s already ready to use out the pack, I suggest Sol Soil. Once your plant is freshly repotted, top it off with a slow release fertilizer or use a water soluble fertilizer when watering.

Providing Optimal Care for a Recovering Plant

Adjusting Watering and Humidity

Once you realized a plant was struggling from being underwatered or overwatered, make sure to avoid that mistake again, as most plants have specific watering needs. If you tend to over water your plants, make your soil more well draining and plant it in terracotta so it’s not holding onto moisture as long. If you underwater, make sure your soil mixture is more dense and plant it in plastic or ceramic so it holds onto moisture longer.

Next, you’ll want to consider humidity level. While, most common houseplants are fine in regular household humidity, a plant that you’re trying to revive will benefit immensely from slightly higher humidity. This higher humidity will help aid in root and foliage regrowth.

Monitoring Progress and Preventing Future Decline

Keeping an Eye on Your Plant’s Recovery

Over the next couple weeks, you'll want to keep a close eye on your recovering house plant. Adjust your care routine as needed to ensure the plant continues to thrive. Once it's out of the rehab stage, you can treat it as your other plants.

Creating a Healthy Environment

Somethings you can help your plant thrive long term and prevent further issues from happening:

• Learn a little bit about your plant as soon as it enters your collection. Does your plant like high humidity? Does your plant need frequent waterings? Is this an understory plant or desert dweller?

• Provide good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases and promote healthy growth.

• Keep the plant away from extreme temperatures or drafts.

• Consider repotting the plant in a larger pot to provide more room for growth.

• Regularly feed your plant with fertilizer as long as it’s actively growing.