5 Easy Steps to Rescue Clearance Houseplants That Work Every Time

Whenever I walk past the clearance houseplants section of my local garden center, I can't help myself but pick one up. While you might assume there's no chance in saving them, a little TLC can go a long way and help them bounce back even better than before.

Even if these houseplants have experienced some of the worst indoor plant mistakes in store, are full of yellowing leaves, and they're pest-ridden, you can nurture them back to good health with a little pruning, repotting, and optimal care. Of course, you shouldn't expect instant results. It does take time to get them looking their best again, but I think the journey makes it a fun and rewarding process.

It really does depend on what kind of state they're in as to whether you can rescue clearance houseplants, but I firmly believe it's always worth trying – plus, you'll pay lower prices and save a little money on new additions to your indoor garden. Here, I run through the five easy steps I follow to save struggling houseplants.

1. Look for Signs of Life

The first step in attempting to rescue clearance houseplants is ensuring they aren't already written off. After all, you don't want your money and efforts to go to waste on a plant that has no chance of reviving.

You can check for signs of life on a houseplant in a couple of ways.

Look at the stems. They should be green, flexible, and firm, not brown, brittle, and woody. You can actually use the scratch test to get more insight into whether the plant still has life in it – this is particularly useful if the plant is dormant and doesn't have any visible new growth.

You should also turn your attention to the roots. Gently lift the plant out of its nursery pot and observe the root ball. Healthy roots should be white and firm, not dark and mushy which indicates severe houseplant root rot.

With these signs of life identified, you can take this houseplant home to begin reviving it.

2. Check for Pests

It's a good practice to isolate any new houseplants you bring home, whether in fit condition or from the clearance section. This safeguards your existing houseplants from houseplant pests.

Look on the underside of leaves for any lingering pests, such as thrips, spider mites, and aphids.

Some common signs the plant may have a pest include spotting on leaves, sticky residue, fine webbing, and stunted growth.

Of course, these can also indicate the plant previously had a pest issue rather than having an active problem.

Whatever the case, it's best to identify any problems early so you can take steps to get rid of them before they turn into a bigger infestation.

Neem oil (like this neem oil spray for plants on Amazon) is a natural pest control product that can help get rid of a wide range of houseplant pests.

3. Prune Damaged Leaves

The next step in trying to rescue clearance houseplants is giving them a good prune.

You'll need essential pruning tools to hand, like these houseplant snips on Amazon or these Fiskars bypass pruning shears on Amazon (which are useful for woodier plants and those with thicker stems).

Following the one third pruning rule (so you don't shock the plant further), make clean cuts at the base of plant stems to remove the most damaged and dying leaves.

Discolored foliage won't turn green again, so it's best to remove them to prevent the plant draining its energy. This will help redirect the plant's energy into putting on new, healthy growth.

Removing dying plant material will also help keep pest and disease issues at bay and put the plant in a healthier state.

It's likewise a good idea to prune houseplant roots that are rotting and mushy.

4. Soak the Plant

This step all depends on how much water the plant was given in the store. If the soil is bone-dry and it seems like it hasn't been watered for quite some time, it can be helpful to give it a good soaking.

Fill a bowl or sink with water, remove the plant from its pot, and let it sit in the water for around 30 minutes, or even up to an hour if it's significantly dehydrated.

Bottom watering houseplants like this is a great technique for plants that are dehydrated or have developed hydrophobic soil from extended periods of drought. It allows plant roots to soak up just as much water as they need – I even find that the foliage perks up after this.

Going forward, I recommend using a soil moisture meter (like this one from Amazon) to identify when it's time to water your houseplants, so you can avoid over and underwatering.

5. Give it Fresh Soil

To give these houseplants the best chance, I like to give them fresh potting soil.

Not only does it provide a looser medium to grow in, improving drainage, but fresh houseplant potting soil will also be nutrient-rich and give them a boost.

When it comes to the best potting soil for indoor plants, it depends on what the plant is.

A well-draining all-purpose houseplant potting mix (like this from Lowe's) works well for the majority of indoor plants, but you can also purchase specific orchid bark mixes (like this from Walmart) and cacti and succulent potting soil (from Amazon).

You should repot the plants into a larger pot if they were slightly root-bound, too. Alongside the fresh soil, this will boost their growth.

What to Shop

FAQs

Will Fertilizer Bring My Houseplant Back to Life?

Not necessarily. Fertilizer can provide houseplants a boost of essential plant nutrients, which is useful during the active growth season from spring-fall. But, using it in attempt to revive a dying plant can actually shock the plant further and cause root burn. Instead, you should provide optimal growing conditions to nurture it back to life and then use fertilizer to boost its growth once it's in a stable condition.

Don't forget to also look out for red flags when buying houseplants from the store. Sometimes the issues are too deep-rooted and it may not be worth your time or money to try and save a severely struggling plant.

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