It’s hard to know when it’s time to let go of a plant. After all, looks can be deceiving, and without vital signs like a heartbeat to check for, it seems almost impossible to tell if it’s time to say goodbye or if there’s a chance of bringing your plant back from the brink.

What to Look For

First things first – if you’re unsure, double check that your plant is not deciduous. If it’s late autumn or winter and you’re seeing bare sticks, this is part of a deciduous plant’s natural cycle and nothing to be concerned about. Definitely meant to be evergreen? Read on!

It may look bad, but the first thing to do is to check the stems. They should be pliable (bendy), but still firm and not mushy. Use a fingernail to scratch a little of the bark back. Is the tissue you see green, or brown?

Green is great news – while there may be no leaves on the plant, it’s in a great position to recover with water and nutrients still circulating throughout the plant.

Brown? That stem at least is kaput. The next step is to check the roots for the same sorts of conditions. If the roots have turned to mush or are shrivelled and dry, they’re dead too, and it may be time to give up on this particular specimen.

Is it Worth Saving?

Even if your plant shows signs of life, whether in the stem or the roots, stop and consider whether it is worth saving before you pour your energy into it. Certainly, any plant that is special or has some sentimental value is always worth an attempt to save, but for others it may be easier to simply start over with a new plant. After all, there are no guarantees that your plant will bounce back, and even if it does it’s likely to look terrible for weeks, months or even years before it returns to its former glory.

What to Do

If the stems show signs of life, trim away as much of the dead parts as you can and move it to a position that it would get around half of the sunshine that is recommended for that plant. Always check the soil before you water – you should only water when the soil feels dry if you gently poke your finger in – but don’t let it get bone-dry either. Both too much and too little water is stressful for a plant. New leaves or stems should start to appear in a few weeks.

No luck on living stems? If the roots still look ok, trim away the leaves and stems progressively, leaving only about 5cm above the soil. If you strike green as you trim, stop trimming wherever you see green and rejoice – you have living stems!

Move the plant into about half the recommended sunshine and water as above.

Without any living stems, you are hoping that the plant will regrow from the roots, which will take a bit longer – 6 to 8 weeks or so. If you don’t see any shoots after this time, check the roots again to make sure that they have not died and try to be patient. Some plants may take a little longer depending on the season.

What About a Feed?

It might seem logical to fertilise your ailing plant, but don’t! Fertiliser at this stage would only create stress and potential root burn for your plant. While the TLC outlined above should do the trick, the only thing you might consider treating the plant with is a seaweed-based nutrient solution like Seasol. It’s different to a fertiliser as it doesn’t contain nitrogen, which can cause the burn.