# Figure out what's wrong with a sick plant

A likely diagnosis for a struggling houseplant or garden plant, with what to check, fix, and avoid.

- Topic: Personal Life & Wellbeing
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/figure-out-what-s-wrong-with-a-sick-plant

## Prompt

```text
Help me figure out what's wrong with my plant.

**Plant:** [NAME if known, or describe it]
**Symptoms:** [e.g. "yellow lower leaves", "brown crispy tips", "white powder on leaves", "holes", "drooping even after watering", "sticky residue"]
**Photo description:** [what you see on the top and underside of leaves, stems, and soil]
**Care routine:** [watering frequency, light, fertilizer, when last repotted]
**Pot and soil:** [drainage hole? soil type? pot size]
**Location:** [indoors/outdoors, climate, recent changes like moving it or a cold snap]

Give me:
1. The 2-3 most likely causes, ranked, with what I've described that points to each. Be clear this is a best guess without seeing the plant.
2. Quick checks to confirm (e.g. finger test for soil moisture, inspect roots for rot, look for insects under leaves with a magnifier).
3. A treatment plan for the most likely cause, starting with the least harsh option (adjust watering or light, prune, wash leaves, insecticidal soap) before any chemical product. If a product is needed, follow its label exactly and keep it away from kids and pets.
4. What NOT to do (e.g. fertilizing a stressed plant, overwatering to "help").
5. How long recovery should take and signs it's working or that the plant should be discarded or isolated to protect others.

If it's a vegetable or fruit plant I plan to eat from, note any harvest waiting period after treatment.
```

## What to fill in

- NAME if known, or describe it
- watering frequency, light, fertilizer, when last repotted
- drainage hole? soil type? pot size

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.