Well hot diggity damn- it's been a hot summer, hasn't it? I know, I know- you've had enough of hearing about this Summer heat, but your plants need you to bear with it for a while longer.
Here in the shop we've had an influx of people bringing in plants with brown, crispy leaves and asking what's wrong with it. Pretty consistently the answer has been sun-damage. Our plants are as English as we are- they have acclimatised to our softer light and have been shocked by the intense heat and light from this Summer's heatwaves. Now the worst of the heat is over with (hopefully!), we can give our plants their best chance of recovery.
1. Cut off dead leaves
Now unfortunately there is no bringing back affected leaves, damage stays damaged. We advise to cut-off any badly damaged leaves, the rest can either be left to help the plant recover or cut-off if the aesthetics annoy you. Plants can recover from sun damage as long as the roots and healthy growth remain in good condition, although scorched leaves themselves won’t turn green again.
2. Watering
Probably you've been watering much more frequently during the heat, but it might be time to lower the frequency, back to your normal Summer schedule. Over-watering in response to dehydration is a common reaction, but one that can kill your plant quicker than the original problem.
3. Acclimatisation
The instinct when plants have been suffering in their home is to move them. Not a bad choice, but not always necessary. Plants can become acclimatised to conditions over time. On a personal anecdote- I have several Orchids and Hoyas in my south-facing window which survived and even flowered during these heatwaves. Advice online would never reccomend leaving them in those spots, but they were acclimatised to the conditions and fared okay.
TLDR- if your plant has been surviving in it's technically incorrect spot, consider leaving it there.
4. Future-Proofing
What's done is done, but we can always learn from our mistakes! Next time you hear warning of a heatwave, there's things you can do to protect your plants:
- Move fragile and tropical plants away from sunny windows temporarily
- Put up protective layers such as net curtains and window film to protect delicate leaves
- Increase your watering schedule during the heat
- Acclimatise plants ahead of time, where possible
- Make sure your own protections aren't hurting your plants; black-out curtains and air-conditioning can cause their own damage.
- Certain pest and leaf-shine sprays can make plants 'photo-sensitive'. Never use them ahead of sunny periods.
