The good news is that most plants will bounce back between 7-14 days if they're given proper care (which includes rehydration). If this isn't possible because major damage was done or little healthy root system exists then expect about 2 weeks until improvement can be seen.
Move your plant to a shady area even if it is a full-sun plant. Remove any dead or dying leaves. These should be easily recognizable. Check your pot for proper drainage and, if possible, create additional air space around the roots.
Look out for signs of overwatering – including a limp plant, yellowing leaves, or dropping leaves. If you see these signs, test the soil with your fingers. It should be pretty obvious if it's soggy! Stop watering and let the soil dry out.
1. If a plant is overwatered, it will likely develop yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves as opposed to dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves combined with wet soil usually mean that root rot has set in and the roots can no longer absorb water.
Signs of root rot are slow growth, mushy stems, and wilting, yellow, distorted leaves (especially when the plant has been well watered, as wilting leaves can also be a sign of a dry plant).
Yellow Leaves + Fading to Green + or Bright Yellow =
These symptoms together mean that your plant is overwatered. Usually lower leaves drop first, although the whole plant may be affected. The solution = repot (to remove soaked soil) and water less, or let soil dry out and water less.
The key is to be patient. Keep tending to your plant for a few weeks and then reevaluate. “Once you've taken steps to revive a dying plant, it can take up to a month before you start to see an improvement or new growth, so don't give up on it too soon,” says Valentino.
Using a hairdryer directly on the soil is an easy way of removing that excess moisture easily. However, there are some things to take into consideration when doing so. When directed at the soil the dryer will only remove the moisture from the surface having the rest of the soil wet.
Plants growing in soil that is too wet suffer from a lack of oxygen which leads to the death of roots and a loss of vigor in the plant. Stunted slow growth with yellowing leaves is a symptom of over watering. Plants may suffer from leaf scorch or leaf burn.
Can We Use Sugar Water For Dying Plants? Although it is not considered a fertilizer, you can use sugar if your plants aren't doing so well. Sugar water in plants can help the microorganisms in the soil break down all the nutrients. It is vastly not recommended, though, to use just the sugar as plant food to save them.
Gently wiggle the plant out of its pot to inspect the roots. While heathy roots are white or yellow and plump, even plants with browned roots can be revived. However, if all of the roots have gone mushy and rotten, this is a sign that a plant is beyond saving.
Of course you can! It's important, though, to get rid of the dead parts so the plant can use its energy for the bits that still have life in them. Start by trimming all the dead leaves. Then, do the same to the dead stems, one third at a time, until you see signs of green.
You might think that sticking your plant in direct sunlight will help with the drying out process once it's been overwatered – but don't do it! Keep your plant out of all direct sunlight until you've resolved the issues caused by overwatering.
One of the quickest, first signs of overwatering your plants is to observe occurs at the tip of the leaf. If the tip of the leaf is turning brown this is a sign of overwatering. Too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Yellow leaves, mushy or loose bark on the plant stems and molds that appear on the top of the soil are also indicators of overwatering.
Hydrogen peroxide can help to control fungal growth and fungal infection, such as root rot, by preventing the growth of fungi. It can also help kill fungus and bacteria on plant roots.
You can do the ball test to see if the time is right. Dig some soil and form a tight little ball in your hands. Press your fingers into it. If it stays together it's too wet.
Soils become waterlogged when water is unable to drain away. This leaves no air spaces in the saturated soil, and plant roots literally drown. Waterlogging is common on naturally poorly drained soils or when heavy soils are compacted. Short-lived flash floods after a downpour seldom harm most plants.
When plants have too little water, leaves turn brown and wilt. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The biggest difference between the two is that too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, producing healthy green growth and strong stems. Coffee also contains calcium and magnesium — both of which are beneficial to plant health. To use coffee as a plant fertilizer, you'll need to dilute it. It should look like weak tea.