First, you must check my feet—the soil I'm growing in. Is it constantly wet and soggy? My roots are likely drowning and rotting, unable to breathe. Oxygen is as vital to me as water. Alternatively, is the soil bone dry and pulling away from the edges of the pot? This means I am severely dehydrated and my cells are collapsing. The soil should feel like a wrung-out sponge: moist but not waterlogged. Also, ensure my pot has adequate drainage holes. Stagnant water at my roots is a death sentence.
Your intervention here is critical. If I am overwatered, you must stop watering immediately. Gently lift me from my pot and inspect my root system. Healthy roots are firm and white. If they are brown, mushy, and smell foul, you must act surgically. Using sterile shears, trim away all the rotten roots. Repot me into fresh, well-draining potting mix, perhaps amended with perlite or coarse sand for better aeration. If I am underwatered, do not flood me. Place my pot in a basin of room-temperature water for 20-30 minutes, allowing the soil to soak up moisture from the bottom. This rehydrates me thoroughly without shocking my system.
I am a Mediterranean plant, a sun-worshipper by nature. I am likely dying because I am starved for light, trapped in a dim, gloomy corner. I need a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct, bright sunlight daily to photosynthesize and produce the energy to recover. Please move me to the sunniest spot you have, like a south-facing window. Conversely, if the leaves are scorched, I might be getting harsh, amplified afternoon sun through a window, which can burn my foliage. Also, protect me from drafts—both cold blasts from air conditioners and dry heat from radiators cause immense stress, hindering my recovery.
Do not fertilize me immediately! If I am in crisis, a dose of fertilizer is like forcing a sick person to run a marathon; it will burn my weakened roots and finish me off. Your first priority is to correct my water, soil, and light conditions. Only once you see signs of new growth—tiny green leaves emerging—should you consider a half-strength dose of a balanced, organic liquid fertilizer. This gentle boost will support my comeback, providing the nutrients needed to grow new, healthy foliage without overwhelming me.
Now, look at my stems and leaves. If there are any completely dry, brittle, brown stems or leaves, they are dead and will not come back. Using clean, sharp scissors, prune these away. This serves two purposes: it prevents potential disease from decaying matter, and more importantly, it redirects my precious remaining energy away from sustaining dead tissue and towards producing new shoots. Be careful not to remove more than one-third of my total growth at once, as that could send me into further shock. This pruning tells my body to focus on regeneration.
