Dry twigs, dried up shoots and trunks, dead roots, wrinkled bark, dehydration, loss of water in the cells – these are all signs of wilting that can happen during winter storage or prolonged transport in the cold.

But often shriveled seedlings can be revived and "reanimated" in a way that will not affect their future growth, flowering or fruiting. We would like to warn you that the revitalisation techniques described in this article do not provide a 100% guarantee that the seedling will "resurrect". However, it is still worth a try. It all depends on how badly the seedlings have wilted and whether you have started reviving them in time.

Preparing for seedling revival

Begin by examining the seedling and, depending on the results, prepare the plant for further revitalisation treatments. It is important to immediately remove the shriveled parts of the seedling down to the living tissue, and to completely cut off the dried roots and shoots, leaving the more viable ones.

Use clean pruning shears or a sharp knife for cutting.

If the seedling has a closed root system, it is a good idea to gently remove the clump of soil from the roots after moistening them.

If there is no living tissue left, everything inside the shoots and roots has shriveled and darkened, and the bark has peeled off, it will be impossible to save the seedling. In other cases, there is hope. However, it is important not to overdo it when pruning the roots of resuscitated seedlings.

The main focus should be on the roots so that they can start to function and drink moisture. Otherwise it will be impossible to revive the plants. If at least some of the roots still have living tissue, the seedling is more likely to survive. But it is important to remember that the roots of a seedling must be at least 15 cm long for normal development.

Is pruning and root pruning necessary for a seedling undergoing resuscitation? It all depends on the extent of the problem. If the seedling is small but has been without water for a long time (e.g. poorly packed during transport), then pruning is necessary. But if the seedling is large but has become flabby and weak and has been without moisture for a short period of time, then there is no need for pruning, only to start revitalising water treatments immediately.

Water treatments to revitalise a seedling

Shrunken seedlings need plain running water, but not too cold. Sometimes this is enough to bring the plant back to life as quickly as possible and restore the water balance. Some gardeners find it better to use rain or melt water to revive seedlings.

For the revitalisation procedure, fill a barrel or a bath with water and immerse the whole plant in it. If the plant is only slightly wilted or very large, only the roots can be soaked – only a bucket of water will do. In other cases, it is better to put the whole seedling in the water. This will increase the chances of successful resuscitation.

Soak the shriveled seedling in water for about 1 to 3 days, keeping a close eye on its condition.

However, water alone is sometimes not enough. In severe cases, it is better to immediately add certain preparations, fertilisers and stimulants to speed up recovery. The following have an effective effect:

• growth promoters and regulators (according to the instructions for the pre-planting treatment of seedlings and cuttings);

• urea-superphosphate mixture (1 tbsp water per bucket);

• succinic acid (5-10 g per litre of water).

The above fertilisers can be mixed with growth promoters. The seedling is kept in this "healing bath" for about 1 day.

But do not over-saturate the water with these nutrients, as this can have the opposite effect, damaging the roots and burning them rather than reviving them. Particular care should be taken when using urea.

Shock therapy to revive shriveled seedlings

When everything has been tried and the seedlings have still not recovered, the last “shock” measure – soaking in hot water is allowed. This should only be done after pruning and pre-soaking the seedling in plain water with growth promoters. The required water temperature is about +40-50°C (avoid boiling water).

Place the seedling with its roots in a bucket in a large container such as a barrel or a bath. Cover the plant with a clean, wide cloth, sprinkle it once with water at 40-50°C and wrap it in a plastic bag or film. Repeat the procedure several more times, after each cooling. After all this, it remains to be seen whether the seedling will be able to vegetate again after the shock treatments. The roots must remain in the water throughout this time. After a couple of days, changes for better or worse can usually be seen.

This method is particularly effective for reviving rose seedlings.

Signs of revival and plantability

“Once revived, the seedling should look at least slightly better than before revival. Of course, the plant will not be strong right away, but the roots, shoots and buds will have stopped dying, the plant will have become more robust and possibly new roots will have emerged.

What remains is to plant the seedling. And then it will be clear how far the plant has managed to recover from the shriveling.

Remanufactured seedlings should only be planted in light and fertile soil, where it will be easier for them to grow roots and obtain nutrients.

It is useful to treat the roots with a root growth stimulant before planting.

Do not allow the soil to dry out at the planting site. These revived plants will need a little more attention in later years. If they are not growing well and are often ill, it is better to end the experiment and remove them from the garden or flowerbed.