Revive an Overfertilized Plant
When a plant is sick, it provides clues to the nature of its illness. Does your ailing plants have brown spots on its leaves, or are the leaves are wilting or misshapen? Has a white crust developed on the plant or soil? All of these symptoms point to plant over-fertilization--there are steps you can take to revive your plant.
Steps
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove damaged leaves. 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.
- Stop fertilizing your plant. 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.
- Re-pot your plant if necessary. 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.
- Switch to low-nitrogen fertilizer. 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.
Tips
- Contact a garden center professional if you have concerns or additional questions about how much--or what kinds--of fertilizer to use on which plants. This will help you to avoid over-fertilization in the future.
- Always follow the instructions for the plant(s) you are growing concerning fertilization needs.
Warnings
- When you are working with any fertilizer product that contains chemicals, be careful not to allow pets or children near it. Also, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after use and follow all directions and guidelines that accompany the product.
Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Water
- Fresh potting soil
- Clean planting pot
- Nitrogen-free fertilizer
