When we go on vacation, sometimes we have no choice but to leave the care of our beloved plants to an acquaintance, family member, or friend. And, upon our return, two things can happen: that nothing has happened, that is, that they remain safe and sound; or that, on the contrary, they are losing leaves and stems, that they no longer have flowers,… in short, that they present a rather bad appearance.
If you are one of the lucky ones, you know who to leave the plants to next time. But if you have not been so lucky, this article is dedicated to your plants, and of course to you.
First impression
Well, you go back home and you find that your little plants are in very bad shape. What are you doing? The important thing here is not to lose your cool. There are many people who do not know how to care for plants, not because they do not want to, but simply because they do not have the necessary experience. Nothing happens, they are things that happen.
Let's get to the important thing, try to save her. Nails on sterile pruning shears (They can be washed with pharmacy alcohol. If we have many diseased plants, we will wash the scissors every time we work with one, thus avoiding problems) we will cut all the stems and flowers that are rotten, withered or that do not have chlorophyll. If the stems have some green, even a little, we will leave it, since if we cut it, the plant would lose energy, which can be used to recover.
Then…
Once we have it, as it is technically said, healthy, that is, cut everything that is wrong, we will proceed to do the following:
- If the plant has suffered excess watering, We will take it out of the pot, and cover the root ball with napkins and, once they have absorbed almost all the water, we will return it to the pot. We will place it in a place with a lot of light, but without direct sun.
It is advisable to apply a little fungicide (less than the recommended dose). A plant that has been overwatered could easily become a "nest" for fungi. - If instead what you need is water, we will fill a tray or a bucket with water, and we will introduce the pot. We will remove it once the substrate is wet.
Final Tips
Finally remember that a diseased plant should not be fertilized. The first thing is to recover, and we will only give it food when we see it grow.
We water it every time the substrate is almost dry, depending on the needs of the plant and where it is.
More information - How to care for indoor plants on vacation?
Image - The patio of the Myrtles, Garden at home