If your hydrangeas, tomatoes, or hanging baskets are covered in crispy brown leaves after this summer’s heat, don’t reach for the pruners just yet. Gardening experts say removing every scorched leaf can actually make recovery harder because those damaged leaves may still be helping the plant produce energy.
But what if the leaves on your plants have completely burnt from the sun? Should you remove them to help plants recover? Or leave them for your end-of-year prune?
Should You Remove Burned Leaves?
“In most cases, you don’t need to remove every damaged leaf straight away,” says Dr. Russell Sharp, a plant scientist and founder, Eutrema.
“Leaves with brown edges can still provide some protection for the healthy parts of the plant while it recovers, and removing too much foliage at once can create more stress because the plant loses its ability to produce energy through photosynthesis.”
Which Leaves Should You Cut Off?
The leaves you should remove are those that are completely dead and brown, as they won’t recover. Rather than pruning the tree or plant, individually remove scorched leaves to make way for new growth.
How to Help Heat-Stressed Plants Recover
As well as removing dead leaves, he recommends: “Water deeply around the base of the plant as this encourages roots to grow downwards and access moisture more effectively. Water early in the morning or later in the evening when less water is lost to evaporation. Adding a layer of mulch around plants can also help keep the soil cooler and reduce moisture loss during hot weather.”
It’s also best to avoid feeding heat-stressed plants with strong fertilizers, as they may struggle to absorb nutrients while recovering.
To protect plants from scorching temperatures, move pots and containers into the shade—or use an umbrella to shield them from the sun.
