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The following are the signs of a healthy plant that is going through a regular life cycle. There are reasons why your planted friend may be going brown and ways to help revitalize your plant.
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How To Tell If a Plant is Dead LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS
Do you have a plant that looks thin, droopy, or even on the brink of death? Did it look great when you bought it last year, but this year it’s failing to thrive? Here’s how to tell if a plant is dead and when it needs a little extra TLC for revival?
Look for Basic Signs of Life When trying to figure out how to tell if a plant is dead, the first thing to do is look carefully for any signs of life. A plant that is alive will almost always have pliable stems. A pliable stem will have some degree of flex when gently bent and will not easily snap or crumble. If you do break the stem, was it a clean break or did it shred? Clean breaks on a plant mean a dead limb; shredded breaks point towards water retention and life. After breaking the stem, look for hints of green in the newly exposed areas. Green indicates the plant is still alive, while no green means at least that part of the stem is dead.
Going Dormant Many perennials are deciduous plants. This means they may have periods of dormancy. During this time, they lose their leaves and even turn brown. For healthy plants, this happens during the colder seasons. once temperatures increase and sunlight returns most plants will begin to bloom. Plants may also go dormant during stressful events like times of drought. If you have any forbs in your yard, it’s very common for them to lose their stems in stressful weather. If they do, don’t fret! When the nice weather returns, they’ll begin to bud at the crown, where the plant sits on the surface of the soil.
Illness or Poor Conditions A plant that is sick may have an infestation. Look closely for signs of tiny insects, fungi, or other pests that might be killing your plant. You should also smell the soil around the crown for any distinct, odd odor. This odor typically signifies that your plant has mildew or mold. If detected, seek out treatment methods specific to the pest and your plant may recover. If there aren’t any signs of infestation, growing conditions may be too severe for your plant. If this is the case you should adjust for light, temperature, water, and nutrients. It will help to do a little research about your plant’s species to determine what variables to adjust.
When to Quit If you’ve attempted to help your plant and see very little sign of recovery, chances are it’s beyond help. Consider saving some time and energy and replace it with a healthier specimen.
