Root Rot

Death by water and soil-borne fungi

What is Root Rot?

  • A general term that describes any disease where a pathogen causes deterioration of the plant's root system by eliminating the root's access to oxygen thus depriving the plant of the nutrients it needs to survive

  • Root rot is a potentially fatal disease that can lead to plant death and can spread quickly through the whole plant

Factors that Cause Root Rot

Prolonged Overwatering

  • Overwatering suffocates the roots not allowing them access to oxygen effectively killing them

  • As they die they start to decay or rot 

  • The rot can then spread to roots that are still healthy and kill them too

 

Soil-Borne Fungi

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What Does Root Rot Look Like Above the Soil?

 

Older leaves yellowing, wilting, and stunted growth

  • The plant will slowly wilt and not perk back up with water or fertilizer

  • Foliage will look stunted and yellow for what seems like no reason

Continually wet, soggy, or moldy soil

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Leaf margin die back

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How To Check For Root Rot

Check the roots by removing the plant from its pot and having a look at the roots underneath

  • Roots affected by root rot will feel slimy, be black/brown, be moldy, have a bad odor, and sometimes even have the outer shell of the root slough off completely 

  • Healthy roots are white, fluffy, and fibrous

Root Rot Severity Level

  • Extreme

    It is likely that the roots, foliage, and all are dead and unfortunately, that is no coming back from that stage

  • Severe

    If root rot is severe but not yet extreme and you still have some foliage the best option at this stage is propagating if possible

  • Savable

    If you just found the root rot and it hasn’t spread too far yet you can clip the affected roots, repot, and not water your plant for some time to allow it a dry down period

How to Treat Root Rot

Wash and Clean Affected Roots

  • Start by Removing your plant from the soil and washing the soil off to the best of your ability

  • Then focus the water on the more mushy and affected roots and try to clean them as best as you can 

Prune Affected Roots

Next use a pair of sharp sterilized shears to cut away the dead/ affected roots 

  • If you have to remove a large number of roots a good way to help the plant to survive is to also cut back a good amount of the foliage in order to allow the roots to only focus their energy on a small amount of foliage until it gets back to full health

Sanitize

Once all the affected growth is removed then make sure to dispose of the soil used and replace it with new soil as well as to clean your pot very well and sterilize it or replace the pot altogether for the best chance

  • In a disease situation like this sanitation is key to making sure you give your plant the best chance

  • You want to make sure you clean your shears or scissors after cutting affected material and moving onto clean material or another plant in order to mitigate the spread as best you can

  • You can clean your shears with isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol by putting the alcohol on a paper towel or cotton ball and rubbing your pruners thoroughly to ensure good sanitation

Repot

After you are done sanitizing you can use a fresh pot and fresh potting soil to repot your plant 

  • Make sure your new pot has good drainage

  • Either by having drainage holes of a high porosity soil

  • In order to avoid this in the future only water your plant when the top of the soil is dry or get a hydrometer to pierce the soil and see how wet the bottom of the soil is 

  • While your plant recovers refrain from fertilizing as to not stress the plant and put it in a situation where it may be susceptible to root rot again

How To Avoid Root Rot

  • Growing resistant varieties 

  • Growing in well-drained soil with high organic matter content

  • Keeping pest-free plants 

  • Avoiding root or crown injury 

  • Don’t reuse soil that was already used for another plant 

  • Do not allow plants to sit in drainage water