Things You'll Need:
- Ammonia
- Cutting tools
- Towel
- Cloth
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Step 1
Determine if the plant has a chance of survival. If your plant shows signs of disease on the leaves only, the plant is able to recuperate. Plants with both the stems and leaves affected will not survive. Remove it from your home immediately, and wash your hands after handling.
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Step 2
Keep diseased plants away from other plants. Plants with blight, leaf spots, and other signs of damage should not sit next to any other plant, regardless if the neighboring plant has signs of a disease. The growth for plant bacteria is rapid and contagious.
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Step 3
Wash your hands after handling leaves on a plant. If you are treating several plants, wash your hands between treating each one, to prevent bacteria from spreading to other plants.
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Step 4
Sanitize your scissors and other gardening tools before treating each plant. Clean your cutting tools in an ammonia solution before use, and clean them again after using them on a diseased plant. Dip the tools in the solution before storing them away, especially if you are storing your tools indoors.
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Step 5
Trim the diseased leaves. Use a drop cloth or towel around the plant so the leaves do not fall on the floor and bacteria has a chance to grow. Cut no more than one third of the plant’s leaves so the plant will not undergo severe distress.
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Step 6
Water your plants without getting the leaves wet. Water on a plant’s leaves give a breeding ground for bacteria. If you get the leaves wet, gently dry the leaf with a soft cloth. Use a seperate cloth for diseased plants and wash your cloth after each use.
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Step 7
Repot your diseased plant in sterilized pot using fresh fertilized soil. Repot your plant at least once a year, but no more than every six months. Consider sterilizing your pot in the dishwasher, as the high heat cycles from your dishwasher will kill bacteria and germs.
