What to Do When Potted Flowers Wilt? Teach You the Correct Remedies
If you have grown flowers, you have surely seen flowers and leaves wilt, or even an entire plant collapse. Generally speaking, when a potted plant wilts, the first thing to check is whether the flower is too dry, then whether the potting soil is too wet and whether waterlogged roots have rotted, and third, whether the ventilation conditions are good enough.
There are more than just two or three reasons why potted plants wilt. Below is a detailed list for flower lovers.
1 Drought wilt
When a flower is dry for a long time without timely watering, it wilts from the top downward, the bark of the branches and stems shrinks and wrinkles, until the whole plant dies. At this point, spray water on the leaves and the surrounding environment to maintain relatively high ambient humidity, and by no means use large amounts of cold water or even ice water to water the flower in a high-temperature environment.
In addition, when the weather is dry and the potting soil is too dry, flower wilt is a common phenomenon. In hot, dry seasons, the leaves of flowers evaporate a lot of water, the potting soil dries out early, and with no water replenishment, the plant easily wilts. At this time, move the potted flower to a shady place, and after the potting soil has cooled slightly, water the potted flower thoroughly with water close to the soil temperature.
2 Water wilt
When the water content in the soil is too high, the plant roots are blocked from breathing and die of suffocation. The branches and leaves receive no water supply from the roots, and thus wilt and die. For the affected flowers, avoid direct strong light and strong wind, and prune away some young branches and young leaves to reduce water evaporation. Remove 1/3 of the overly wet potting soil, add dry soil and replant, combine with spraying water on the leaves, and spray a thin liquid fertilizer once every 3 days. After 10 days of care, the affected flowers can recover.
In the process of beginners growing flowers, it is easy to overwater, and overly wet potting soil causes flowers to wilt. Because the amount of water given is too large, the potting soil stays damp for a long time, or even waterlogged, the potting soil has poor permeability, the flower roots are damaged, and the leaves of the whole plant wilt all at once. At this time, stop watering and loosen the soil. In serious cases, take the plant out of the pot and change the soil, cut off the rotten roots, replant it, and keep it in a shady place for care.
3 Wind wilt
When flowers produce new shoots, especially when spring shoots grow in large numbers, encountering strong light and strong wind often causes wilting. At this time, take measures such as shading, sheltering from wind, and spraying water on the leaves to prevent the new shoots from losing water and wilting.
4 Heat wilt
In summer, flowers that like a cool environment, if placed in a spot with strong light and high temperature, will have leaves that wilt and curl inward, or even turn yellow and fall off. They should immediately be moved to a moist, ventilated, cool place.
5 Cold wilt
In winter, when the temperature fluctuates greatly and the nighttime temperature suddenly drops below 10°C, flowers such as Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, and azalea will have leaves that wilt and lose their luster in the early morning, then gradually recover after the temperature rises at noon. Short-term cold wilt has little effect on flowers, but attention should be paid to keeping them warm.
Temperature drop: In autumn, the temperature changes greatly. When the nighttime temperature is below 10°C, warm-loving southern flowers such as white orchid, bougainvillea, jasmine, Chinese hibiscus, Dieffenbachia, and peacock plant will have leaves that wilt in the early morning, then gradually recover after the temperature rises at noon. At this time, potted flowers should be protected against the cold.
6 Fertilizer wilt
When the fertilizer concentration in the flower soil is too high, the water in the flower plant will seep into the soil (that is, reverse osmosis), commonly known as burning the roots, causing the flower to wilt and die. Remove the surface soil in the pot, water it, so that the excess fertilizer flows out from the bottom of the flower pot with the water, then cover the pot surface with a layer of plain soil. At the same time, take measures such as shading and spraying water on the leaves for the affected flowers to sustain the life of the branches and leaves. After 10-20 days, they can return to normal.
Excessive fertilization: Potted flowers wilt because of excessive fertilization and fertilizer damage. When this happens, immediately pour a large amount of water into the pot to dilute the fertilizer liquid, and prop up the pot so the water drains out quickly through the pot holes. Potted flowers with severe fertilizer damage need to be repotted and their roots washed.
7 Pest wilt
When longhorn beetles and jewel beetles cause serious damage, they can destroy the conductive tissue of the main trunk or main branches of flowers, causing partial or whole-plant wilting and death. Wilt caused by pests is difficult to reverse. For precious flowers, the branches can be cut off for cuttings or grafting.
Pest and disease damage: Underground pests bite and injure the root system of the plant, affecting the roots' water absorption, causing potted flowers to wilt. Potted flowers invaded by Fusarium wilt pathogens have their roots and stem bases rotted and damaged, and wilt occurs. For pest and disease damage, prevention should be the priority, such as regular spraying and soil disinfection. Once a potted flower wilts due to pest or disease damage, it is generally very difficult to cure.