Curry leaf plant is also known as Murraya koenigii, which is native to India. It used to prepare delicious south Indian food. Curry leaves have a great aroma, which will always be special ingredients for your food.
Curry leaf plant dies mainly for freezing temperatures if goes below 32F in your area during winter then it may die, other reasons are first-timers who have curry leaf plant they will be doing overwatering, transplant to a bigger pot, keep the plant hydrated, don’t fertilize plant for 5 months.
When I bought a curry leaf plant for the first time I have a similar problem, I was over-watering the plant, and I wanted it to grow quickly so given more fertilizer this made the roots of the plant burn, and the plant died. So I am writing this to help you to recover your plant.
Here is the list of reasons your curry leaf plant may die or looks like dying.
1. Winter Dormancy
Curry leaves plants will go to a resting state in the winter season which is commonly known as winter Dormancy.
Curry leaf plant doesn’t get full sunlight due to winter; Due to low temperature (more cooling), the major problem is for leaves.
Leaves may turn yellow color (chlorosis). This is one of the signs that it is moving to the Winter Dormancy state.
Due to more cold, all leaves may fall down from the plant and there may be no leaves left in the plant (the only stem is left in the plant), This is one of the common things regarding the Curry leaf plant in the winter Season. To fix this here you go.
Preparing Curry plant for Winter Dormacy
1. Cut down on watering until the winter season ends
The major thing you need to consider cut down the watering to plant until the winter season end.
This will help the plant to stay in a resting state.
2. Move your plant Indoor
If you move your plant indoor or increase the temperature by any means you can save the curry leaves in the plant.
The better option is to move the plant indoors and place it near the south-facing window. This will give a warm temperature and enough sunlight to plant.
If you cannot take the plant indoor for any reason. At least try to cover the pot (roots), with some black cover or something this increases temperature by 5 degrees, compared to outside.
If you cannot give enough sunlight to plant inside, these full spectrum led light lamps are available for rescue. Click here for the link in amazon [For valid purchases we may earn commission from amazon, Our recommendation is not the costliest gadget but we suggest the good one]. These lamps can be used for other plants, and have many functionalities like timer and you can change light sensitivity.
3. Increase the temperature
Increase the temperatures of plants, slow down the winter Dormancy period, and save the curry plant’s leaves.
Place the curry leaves plant in sunlight during the day and at night you can take it indoors to protect from cold.
If you forget to take the plant inside, it will die no matter whatever you take care of after that. So be cautious not to forget.
If there are no leaves in the curry plant and only the stem is left, you need to take care of the plant. Otherwise, the plant may die.
You can increase the temperature of the plant by moving your plant inside and giving enough sunlight by keeping it near the window.
If that is not possible, you need to cover the plant with a black cover to decrease the plant’s temperature by 5 degrees compared to the outside temperature.
If you cannot give enough sunlight to plant inside, these full spectrum led light lamps are available for rescue. Click here for the link in amazon [For valid purchases we may earn commission from amazon, Our recommendation is not the costliest gadget but we suggest the good one]. These lamps can be used for other plants, and have many functionalities like timer and you can change light sensitivity.
If you are traveling or out home for some days, request a willing friend to take care of your plant.
4. Pour the warm water instead of cold water
This will help them keep up the temperature of the curry leaves of the plant.
2. Less Exposure to Sunlight
Curry leaves will curl down and bent downside if you give less sunlight to the plant.
Experts say that for the best results we need to grow curry leaves plant in full sunlight and more than equal to 40F temperature.
If we consider the above climate conditions Curry leaf plant will have less winter dormancy period.
Being a curry plant Vulnerable to the cold climate we need to take good care of the plant by exposing the plant to sufficient sunlight.
If you cannot give enough sunlight to plant inside, these full spectrum led light lamps are available for rescue. Click here for the link in amazon [For valid purchases we may earn commission from amazon, Our recommendation is not the costliest gadget but we suggest the good one]. These lamps can be used for other plants, and have many functionalities like timer and you can change light sensitivity.
If you are there in freezing climate conditions, you need to consider giving your plant an artificial white light instead of sunlight.
3. Low Temperature
When plant atmosphere temperature drops then plant leaves may shutter, bent down, and lose out all the leaves, those leaves were helping the plant to survive the winter reason.
How to overcome the low-temperature problem in Curry plants.
1. Limit watering to plants
As we discussed earlier, you need to cut down on watering in the winter season. Plants will be in a resting state.
If you don’t cut down on watering Root rot can happen to curry leaf plants and plants may eventually die.
2. Pour Hot water instead of cold
Please pour hot water to increase the temperature of the plant.
3. Move your plants indoor
As we discussed earlier you need to move your plants indoors to give the warm weather to plant or keep the pot in the black cover so that there will reduce in-plant temperature compared to the outside temperature.
4. Give sufficient sunlight or artificial light
To revive your plant which is suffering from low-temperature problems, you need to give them enough sunlight to survive.
If you cannot give enough sunlight to plant inside, these full spectrum led light lamps are available for rescue. Click here for the link in amazon [For valid purchases we may earn commission from amazon, Our recommendation is not the costliest gadget but we suggest the good one]. These lamps can be used for other plants, and have many functionalities like timer and you can change light sensitivity.
You also should not give a bright light to the plant, this may shock the plant. Needs to increase the light gradually.
4. Soil (Dirt)
Fertilizer is needed, if you potted your plant more than 4 months ago, put that fertilizer even there are no leaves on the plant (only left with bare stem).
I always use miracle grow potting mix for growing my curry leaves plants. Here is the link you can buy from amazon [For valid purchases we may earn commission from amazon, Our recommendation is not the costliest but we suggest the good one].
It’s gonna survive a couple of winters, It will be strong enough to withstand other coming winters.
Things to consider while you repotting the curry leaf plant.
We need to put a good potting mix for a pot that will drain well.
You also should consider the next pot size while you are repotting and make sure it has a drainage hole at the bottom.
If you are pruning roots use sanitized tools, otherwise your plants may affect by a previous plant that was suffering from some disease.
Bonus tip: Feed the plant with Baked salt or Epsom salt twice every month as fertilizer to improve the plant
5. Over-watered
Over-watered curry leaves mostly suffering from root rot. Root rot will occur to more frequent watering.
Not leaving the water to drain from soil or there is no proper drainage hole in the pot causes root rot. Which will make the plant eventually die.
How to fix an over-watered curry leaf plant?
1. Prepare plant
Remove the plant from the pot and clean-cut the roots which are brown in color and rotted.
Leave the plant for some days to heal up the roots which you have trimmed.
2. Repot with proper soil
If you are repotting the plant in the same container, you need to sanitize the pot before you put the new soil.
If you are planning to put old soil, before that you need to boil the soil with hot water, this makes any bacteria that affects plants die.
Pot the plant with a good potting mix, which can be well-drained.
3. Limit the water supply to plant until the roots heal
Once you plant, you should wait for at least 1 week to water; roots need to be healed and adjust to the pot’s new atmosphere.
4. Give enough sunlight and maintain temperature
Move your new pot to inside and give a good amount of sunlight, and don’t let the plant sit in cold temperature.
6. Under-watered
Under-watered curry leaf plants look like withered leaves, bent, yellow leaves.
Even if the leaves are yellow you should not prune, pluck them because these leaves
Tips:
- Feed Curry leaf plant with a tablespoon of Epsom salt (which contains magnesium)/ baked salt into yogurt or 1 gallon of water twice a month (every 15 days) to improve the plant growth. If you overdose you will burn the plant. (My grandmother taught this.)
- Feed buttermilk to plant during warmer months to improve growth ( when there is no mold).
- cut the seed-bearing part to get new shoots and leaves to grow healthily.
Final Thoughts:
I hope to help you to recover your plant from dying. Happy Planting.
Thanks I thought weather is getting warmer… so put the plant outside … and temperatures dropped … my plant was outside for 4-5 days … it started drying up … so moved it inside … all the leaves are dried… I don’t know if it’s dead or not