How To Revive A Plant: 10 Ways To Bring Them Back To Life

How to revive a plant:

1. Look for signs of life
2. Stop watering so much, or —
3. Hydrate your plant
4. Unbind and repot
5. Give it a trim
6. Wipe down the leaves
7. Change its position
8. Check the humidity levels
9. Provide some extra nutrition
10. Wait and see the results

It’s fun to go shopping for new, beautiful plants to add to your home. But, maybe it’s been a few weeks, and you’ve found yourself coming home to a less-than-happy plant? Maybe you’ve noticed it’s losing its color, or gone limp, and now you’re wondering if it’s dying — and if so, is it possible to revive a dying plant?

If this is where you’re at, don’t panic just yet! Take a look through our guide on how to revive a plant — you may just find there are things you can do to save your plant baby before it’s too late.

Look for signs of life

It may look dead, but is it actually? The first thing to do is to check your plant. Even if it’s mostly brown and wilted, any sign of green is a sign to have hope!

Check the stem — if there are patches of green, there is still a chance you’ll be able to bring it back to life. If there are, then the next step is to check its roots. As the foundation of a plant’s support system, they give a lot of information about their state. 

Healthy, living roots should appear plump and are white to tan in color with white tips. If you see these, then your plant is saveable!

Stop watering so much, or —

Once you’ve established that your plant isn’t dead yet, the next step is to check for possible causes. 

The most likely culprit is overwatering. It’s the number one reason that indoor plants die, especially since beginner plant parents have trouble gauging how much water their plants need.

If the soil seems damp, the leaves and stem feel squishy, or look rotten, it’s a good sign you’re overwatering it. Remove any rotten roots, leaves, branches from the plant, and leave your plant out somewhere warm and with indirect light. Wait until the soil is mostly dry to return it to its original spot and water it. After that, avoid watering until its soil is bone dry. 

— hydrate your plant

On the other hand, you may have another common problem — underwatering. If you see that your plant looks withered or its leaves are brittle and yellow, then this is probably the cause.

Rehydrate your plant by soaking the soil. Afterward, check if all parts of the soil are soaked through before allowing excess water to drain. Consider watering this plant more frequently, and repeating this process every time you water it.

Unbind and repot

Your plant could be dying if it’s become choked off — which happens when its roots are bound tightly in the soil.

To check, you’ll have to start repotting your plant. Remove it from the pot, and gently massage its roots to loosen it up and remove it from the compacted soil. After, repot into fresh soil. We recommend using a slightly bigger pot when you do this, so your plant has more space for its roots.

Using fresh soil can also solve a lack of water and nutrition. Over time, soil can become leeched of minerals, and can also become hydrophobic — which may have also been affecting your rootbound plant. 

Give it a trim

As we said earlier, green is good. Anything else is not. If you see lots of dead, browned leaves and branches on your plant, then it could be placing too much of a burden on it. It’s a good idea to trim these back and remove anything dead and rotting. When trimming, cut all the way back to the healthiest bits of the plant. If there’s some damage to the roots, you can also trim off some excess leaves and branches. Doing this will mean your plant doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain its foliage — which gives it a better chance of recovering.

Wipe down the leaves

Plants are a favorite of many household pests — which may be what’s troubling your dying plant. Deformed, discolored leaves are a good sign that some pests have been eating away at your plant. Another sign is abnormal growths, which could be the pest or their eggs that have been burrowed into your plant. 

If this is what you’re seeing on your plant, it’s time to give it a full wipe down. Use a damp cloth and a mild soap solution, and gently wipe all parts of your plant. This should remove and kill off any kind of pest that’s invaded it. 

Change its position

Lighting is an important growth factor for any plant. Typically, if your plant is getting too much or too little sunlight, it’ll convey that through its leaves. If you see brown or black spots or crisp leaf edges on your plan, then it’s getting too much direct sunlight. You could move it somewhere more shaded so that the light is indirect and won’t burn it.

If you see that the leaves look yellow or unusually pale, then it’s a sign that your plant is not getting enough sunlight. You could try moving it near your windows, or using a grow lamp to provide adequate sunlight. 

Check the humidity levels

Humidity is another growth factor to look out for. Some plants love being in damp, humid environments, while others can’t stand it.

If your plant came from a tropical country, chances are that they need lots of humidity to grow well. One thing to check is if your plant looks shriveled or wilted. If so, then try upping the humidity levels or transfer it to a more humid room — like your bathroom or kitchen. You could also try misting your plants occasionally, or grouping them to increase the humidity in that area. 

On the other hand, if your plant looks like it’s developing a mold or fungus problem, it’s a sign you need to decrease the humidity. You could try a dehumidifier, or place it somewhere well-ventilated so that the air around them is a bit drier. 

Provide some extra nutrition

If your plant seems to be growing too slow, has a weak stem, or discolored leaves that die off quickly, then it may be a good idea to add some fertilizer. But, because your plant is in bad shape, you have to start slowly. Drastic changes may shock your plant and cause even more problems — eventually leading to its death.

Try organic fertilizers — steer clear of any synthetic chemicals — to feed your malnourished plant. Do this once or twice a month in small doses, and your plant may make a slow but gradual recovery. 

Wait and see the results

It may take some time for your efforts to pay off, so stay patient while you continue to nurse it back to health. If no changes happen even after a few weeks, then it’s time to reexamine your plant. You may have gotten it wrong the first time, but as long as your plant’s stem and roots are still alive you can try other solutions. 

Key Takeaway

We hope our guide on how to revive a plant can help your plant make a full recovery — which is likely with the right care! But if you find that your plant has, unfortunately, crossed the point of no return, don’t fret. You can always try again — just take a look through Unbeleafable’s plant catalog for new plants! And, you can consult with our expert team through our website to learn how to give them the right care to thrive in your home.