Reviving Dried-Out Houseplants

You may look around one day and realize that one of your houseplants is absolutely parched, dying of thirst. Either you forgot to water it or the potting mixture is just wrong. Plants can begin to die if the potting soil has shrunk away from the sides of the pot, which means that the water just flows between the pot and the soil without ever touching the roots. Another cause can be compaction. Either the plant is so root-bound that water cannot penetrate, or the soil you used was too heavy; i.e., not light and fluffy, for houseplants. As a result, the plant begins to wilt. Good news, though. Your chances of saving it are pretty good.

The best way to begin to save a plant that has dried out completely is to immerse the entire pot in a bucket of water. Allow the houseplant to sit in the water until bubbles quit coming up from the potting soil. I have found that plants that have been allowed to get into this bad of a shape usually need to be repotted, too. (If the plant is not root-bound, you can probably put it back into the same pot. Break up the soil around the roots and repot using new potting mix.) If the soil is too hard after you have soaked the pot in water and will not break apart, soak the plant sans pot in water until you can work the root ball loose. (This, by the way, is sometimes called "teasing" the roots.) You might also have to poke some holes in the root ball to allow more of the water to soak into the soil. If your houseplant is root-bound, of course move it into a larger container and maybe consider dividing it, as well.

Another problem that may be depriving your houseplants of water is compacted soil on just the top layer of the potting mixture. You will notice puddling on the top of the soil. You can try fixing the problem by breaking up the top layer with a screwdriver or something similar. If this does not work, repot the plant.

Of course, it is best that you do not let your houseplants get to this point. I have resorted to the above described methods to revive plants that I have found on sale racks, because I cannot resist a plant that costs only fifty cents. (If you feel the same, make sure that the sale plant has at least some sides of life. If it does not, you will not only waste your money but also the time spent trying to save it.)

Naturally, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Certain conditions dictate if your houseplant is going to need more water more frequently. Pay attention if your houseplant is subject to any of the following:

Your houseplant is in a clay/terra cotta pot (unglazed). These pots are porous and do not retain moisture.

You have a large plant in a small pot. There will be less soil to retain the moisture. (Chances are the plant is root-bound and should be repotted; however, be sure to water the plant more often than usual if you are not able to repot it for awhile.)

It is your houseplant's active growth period. Remember that your plant will also need to be fertilized regularly during this period.

The temperature is higher than normal. Houseplants, for example, that are kept outdoors in the summer need to be watered more frequently, sometimes, if the temperatures are particularly hot, daily.

The humidity around your houseplant is low. (To correct this situation, see my article Houseplants: Increasing the Humidity.)

Reference:

Huxley, Anthony. Success with House Plants. Pleasantville, NY: The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1979.