How to Rescue Your Prayer Plant

A while back, my cousin gave me a Prayer plant. Up until the point when it started to show signs of death, everything was going fairly smoothly. It would be disastrous, so I devised a plan to revive it. 

It would be unfortunate if this plant perished due to unfavorable environmental conditions and other odd circumstances. Overwatering, pests, and other issues can bring prayer plants to their knees. 

It would be best to correctly pinpoint the signs and reasons behind your plant’s decline. It would be simpler to continue the revival process in this manner. 

Let’s discuss the causes, symptoms, and possible treatments.

Signs of a Dying Praying Plant

  • Variegation loss could be due to too much sunlight.
  • Crispy and dry leaves are due to low humidity, excessive sunlight, or under-watering.
  • The curling of leaves is due to under-watering or extreme temperatures.
  • Leaf yellowing is due to overwatering or a lack of proper fertilizer.
  • Spotty leave could be due to Pests or diseases. Several factors could be to blame for the deterioration of your Prayer plant. 

How To Revive A Praying Plant

Your prayer plant could be dying for a variety of reasons. The correct diagnosis is critical in determining what action should be taken to restore the plant’s health. Remember that reviving a Prayer plant is not a quick process. Reviving a Prayer plant will require your undivided attention and understanding of the plant’s fundamental nature. With that in mind, let’s get down to the causes and how you can revive them. 

1. Inadequate or Excessive Water

Watering your prayer plant properly is essential to its appearance. The plant enjoys being damp but dislikes being watered too frequently.

Underwatering or overwatering can primarily cause your Prayer plant’s decline, and both can cause severe problems with growth and proper operation. Underwatering can cause the leaves to become crunchy, brown, and wither.

Overwatering indicates that you provide more water to your Prayer plant than it requires for proper functioning and growth, which can rot the roots of your Prayer plant and disrupt its overall function.

Water your prayer plant regularly throughout the growing season. Shallow watering is key to preserving the plant’s health and avoiding the dangers of overwatering. It grows best when watered in the early morning or late at night after the temperature has cooled off. To avoid shocking the roots, avoid using either too hot or too cold water.

If the problem is overwatering, stop watering the soil and let it dry. Move the plant out of direct sunlight for a few days and place it in a shaded area. After that, explore the roots and look them over.

If you discover root rot, re-pot the plant and replace the soil. After that, give the plant regular, light watering with water that is at room temperature

2. Tap water 

The tap water could also be causing your Prayer plant to die. Because of the high salt content in the tap water, the prayer plant’s edges brown and wither.

All species of Prayer plants are sensitive when it comes to salt and mineral content in water.

Tap water contains more or higher levels of salt and minerals than distilled water, rainwater, or well water. As a result, it is recommended that the Prayer plant be watered with distilled water, rainwater, or well water.

Don’t be alarmed if you notice brown edges around your Prayer plant. Prayer plants frequently have brown edges; cut the brown edges off with sharp shears.

3. Root Rot

Root rot is a common issue for most plants with sensitive roots, including the prayer plant, which prefers moist soil. It will also suffer from root rot if the soil remains wet for an extended period. 

This is a common issue with clay soil that does not drain well. Root rot is fatal, and you’ll have to uproot the prayer plant and start over if you don’t save it in time.

To check for root rot, gently dig around the plant’s root perimeter. Pull the plant up and inspect the root ball once the soil has been loosened.

4. Prayer Plant Repotting

To revive your Prayer plant, place it in a new soil pot. Examine the dead roots after removing the Prayer plant from the old pot. The funky odor of dead roots, or the fact that they appear entirely dried out, is a vital sign.

If you come across any dead roots, carefully separate them from the other roots. Insert the Prayer plant into the new pot and cover the surface with pebbles. After that, use sharp scissors or shears to remove the dead or crunchy rust-colored leaves. Once the new pot is in place, water the leaves of your Prayer plant regularly.

NOTE: Do not water the leaves of your Prayer plants in the evening because water drops can cause damage.

When re-potting the plant, always double-check the soil mix. The incorrect potting mix can cause root problems.

Make sure the potting mix has a 2:1:1 ratio of peat moss, loamy soil, and perlite. Check the pH of the soil to ensure it is between 5.5 and 6.

5. Deficiency in Nutrients

Nutrition is another factor that influences plant growth. The prayer plant requires rich and fertile soil to thrive as a heavy feeder. It also requires a lot of fertilizer all year.

A lack of nutrients causes the plant to stop growing and lose its healthy appearance.

Apply a houseplant fertilizer every two weeks from spring to fall to ensure the prayer plant gets enough nutrients.

Reduce fertilizing to once a month in the winter. Using the fertilizer is only half as vital to avoid shocking the plant while it is experiencing growth spurts.

6. Humidity 

Prayer plants thrive in moderate to high humidity because they are tropical plants. Low humidity may cause your Prayer plant’s impending death or withering.

This often happens when you place your Prayer plants in high-heat and low-humidity areas. This is a common mistake made by new Prayer plant owners.

Buy a humidifier to keep your Prayer plants moist. Another option is to place them in a water-filled stone frame. Invest in a humidity meter if you’re unsure whether your Prayer plant is getting enough humidity.

Check the humidity around the plants. Once you’ve determined the source of the problem, use a humidifier to surround your Prayer plant.

7. Too Bright Or Too Dark

Prayer plants are tropical plants that do not require direct sunlight. Many Prayer plant species become dried out when exposed to direct sunlight. The leaves of the Prayer plants will lose their luster and eventually dry out if exposed to direct sunlight. These plants thrive when they receive indirect but bright light.

As with direct sunlight, placing Prayer plants in dark areas can harm them. Placing your Prayer plant in an overly dark area will be an unfortunate mistake. The plant will be deprived of sunlight to function and grow properly.

The plant will not produce food for plants through photosynthesis, which relies heavily on sunlight. Your Prayer plant will die if it is not provided with enough food and nutrients.  

To address this issue, place your Prayer plant in areas where it will receive indirect sunlight. If you have south-facing windows, place your Prayer plant slightly away from them.

Keep an eye on your Prayer plant to see if it is getting used to the amount of sunlight you give it.

8. Pests

Spider mites and mealybugs can both attack the plant. Brown spots or white substances on the leaves are symptoms.

The foliage will turn brown if left untreated, leaving the plant vulnerable to other infections.

When you first notice signs of an infection, apply neem oil. Neem oil is a natural pesticide with no side effects and no environmental toxicity.

9. Disease

The prayer plant droops and wilts due to a variety of diseases. Yellow leaves, brown leaves and stems, spots on leaves, and dry leaves are all common symptoms.

Because the pathogen causing the symptoms varies, you’ll need to consult a specialist to determine the best treatment for each disease.

How To Care For Praying Plants

  • Water lightly but regularly to keep the soil moist but not wet.
  • Fertilize the plant with a houseplant fertilizer at half strength all year.
  • Keep the plant away from direct sunlight.
  • To keep the air moist, use a humidifier.
  • Regularly re-pot the plant.

Knowing how to revive a prayer plant if yours dies is helpful, but knowing how to avoid these problems in the first place is more beneficial. If the plant appears to be sick, ensure it’s getting enough water and nutrients.

It takes time to resurrect a Prayer plant. Maintain an even moisture level in the soil of your Prayer plant, as well as moderate indirect sunlight, high humidity, and love. The plant will gradually resurrect with lustrous, showy leaves.

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