WINTER can be incredibly harsh on plants, causing many of them not to survive.
It can be hard to know which plants to give up on, and which ones to try to nurture as best as possible ahead of spring.
New green tender growth is a clear indicator that your plant is still aliveCredit: Getty
However there are some tell-tale ways to check whether your plants are at the point of no return, and sadly need digging up and discarding.
Here’s the steps to follow.
CHECK FOR NEW GROWTH
If you don’t notice any signs of new growth on your plants, it may be an unfortunate sign that they have died.
However, if the varieties you’re growing typically remain dormant throughout the winter it’s best to wait until spring to see if they begin perking back up.
If you can see signs of new growth which are easy to distinguish among old dead growth, prune off anything that has already died.
Pruning will help to encourage more fresh sprouts, as well as prevent diseases developing from the dead plant matter.
MONITOR IF PRUNING HELPS NEW GROWTH DEVELOP
If you don’t notice new growth forming on your plants after pruning, they may not be alive and able to keep growing.
Depending on the type of plant, new growth should begin to take form after pruning within 2 to 8 weeks.
Though this may differ if your plants entered dormancy over winter.
DO THE SCRATCH TEST
If you have woody plants or shrubs a simple scratch test against the bark can tell you a lot about their health.
Gently scratch the bark on a stem using your nail or a knife.
If the layer underneath is green, vibrant, and moist your plant is still alive.
But if it’s brown, dry and/or brittle your plant is more than likely dead.
CHECK THE ROOTS
Even drooping plants could still be alive at the root
The top of your plant may look dead but if the roots are still alive there might still be hope, so it’s worth inspecting what condition they’re in under the ground.
Carefully remove your plant from the ground and brush off any clumping soil to expose the roots.
If they look white or light-coloured and still have some firmness, the plant is likely still alive.
However if the roots are dark or mushy they have more than likely rotted and/or died.
TRY THE BEND-TWIST TEST
If the twigs, stems or branches on your plants are brittle and easily snap off, their chances aren’t good in terms of recovery.
However if there’s some flexibility in the bend or green shows through the middle of the break, your plant is likely alive and saveable.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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