How to Revive an Overfertilized Plant
Remove any visible fertilizer., Leach the soil with water., Remove damaged leaves., Stop fertilizing your plant., Re-pot your plant if necessary., Switch to low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove any visible fertilizer.
If the fertilizer is a powder, and you can see it on the plant or topsoil, removing it will help prevent your plant from further overfeeding.
Additionally, if the fertilizer salts have created a crust (typically white), that must also be removed. -
Step 2: Leach the soil with water.
This will move the fertilizer further away from the plant's root system, further helping to prevent additional over-fertilization, and permitting the plant's roots to begin to heal.
Revive over-fertilized plants in your garden.
Flood the soil around the root system before allowing the water to continue to drip at the plant's base for 30 minutes.
Rescue over-fed plants in a pot.
Fill the pot with water, and allow it to drain out the bottom.
Repeat this step 4 times in order to make sure all the fertilizer is washed, or leached, away from the plant's roots. , Using a pair of scissors, cut off the leaves that look burned (this means they have brown spots on them).
Also, remove any wilting leaves, or leaves that have an incorrect shape.
Even if you can rescue an overfed plant, those leaves already damaged cannot be revived.
Removing them is important to ensuring the plant's future health.
If they are permitted to remain, your plant may become a victim of pests and other maladies. , If your plant has been overfed, do not provide it more fertilizer until it appears healthy again (3 to 4 weeks).
Allow time for your plant and its roots to recover from the strain of an overabundance of fertilizer. , If the plant was severely overfed, transferring it to new, fresh soil after the leaching process is complete will provide your plant and its roots many opportunities to heal. , When the time comes to begin feeding your plant again, you can prevent the negative effects of over-fertilization by using fertilizer devoid of nitrogen. -
Step 3: Remove damaged leaves.
-
Step 4: Stop fertilizing your plant.
-
Step 5: Re-pot your plant if necessary.
-
Step 6: Switch to low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Detailed Guide
If the fertilizer is a powder, and you can see it on the plant or topsoil, removing it will help prevent your plant from further overfeeding.
Additionally, if the fertilizer salts have created a crust (typically white), that must also be removed.
This will move the fertilizer further away from the plant's root system, further helping to prevent additional over-fertilization, and permitting the plant's roots to begin to heal.
Revive over-fertilized plants in your garden.
Flood the soil around the root system before allowing the water to continue to drip at the plant's base for 30 minutes.
Rescue over-fed plants in a pot.
Fill the pot with water, and allow it to drain out the bottom.
Repeat this step 4 times in order to make sure all the fertilizer is washed, or leached, away from the plant's roots. , Using a pair of scissors, cut off the leaves that look burned (this means they have brown spots on them).
Also, remove any wilting leaves, or leaves that have an incorrect shape.
Even if you can rescue an overfed plant, those leaves already damaged cannot be revived.
Removing them is important to ensuring the plant's future health.
If they are permitted to remain, your plant may become a victim of pests and other maladies. , If your plant has been overfed, do not provide it more fertilizer until it appears healthy again (3 to 4 weeks).
Allow time for your plant and its roots to recover from the strain of an overabundance of fertilizer. , If the plant was severely overfed, transferring it to new, fresh soil after the leaching process is complete will provide your plant and its roots many opportunities to heal. , When the time comes to begin feeding your plant again, you can prevent the negative effects of over-fertilization by using fertilizer devoid of nitrogen.
About the Author
Kyle Shaw
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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