From our perspective beneath the soil, root rot is a terrifying suffocation. Our primary function is to absorb water and nutrients, a process that requires oxygen to respirate. We thrive in an environment of moist, well-aerated soil particles. The primary cause of our distress is not merely the presence of water, but the absence of air. When you, the gardener, provide excessive hydration or place us in a pot without adequate drainage, you flood our world. The soil pores fill with water, pushing out the vital oxygen we need to survive. This creates a hostile, anaerobic environment where we begin to drown and our delicate root tissues start to break down and die.
Our physical decay from suffocation is only the beginning. The softened, dying tissue creates a perfect entry point for opportunistic soil-borne pathogens, primarily fungi from the Pythium, Phytophthora, and Rhizoctonia genera. In a healthy state, our natural defenses can ward off these ever-present threats. However, in our weakened, oxygen-starved state, we are utterly vulnerable. These fungi invade our cortex, rapidly colonizing and destroying our vascular system—the very plumbing that transports water and nutrients to the rest of the plant. This is why the above-ground symptoms you see (wilting, yellowing leaves) occur even though the soil is wet; we are too damaged to perform our duty.
You must learn to interpret our silent cries for help. The first signs are often subtle from your view, but drastic from ours. You might notice a sudden wilting of our stems and leaves, even though the potting medium feels damp to the touch. Our foliage may turn yellow and become soft or mushy. This is a direct result of our failing root system. The most telling sign is at our base; if our stems near the soil line feel soft, darkened, and slimy, the rot is already advanced. A healthy root system is firm and white or tan, while we, when afflicted, become brown-to-black, mushy, and emit a foul, decaying odor.
To save us, immediate and decisive action is required. You must gently remove us from our pot and carefully wash away the saturated soil to fully assess the damage. Using sterilized, sharp shears, you must perform a surgical removal of all soft, brown, and rotten roots. This is a drastic measure, but it is necessary to remove the infected tissue and stop the spread. After the amputation, you should treat our remaining healthy roots with a fungicide solution or a hydrogen peroxide mix to eliminate any lingering pathogens. Finally, you must provide us with a fresh start in a completely new, sterile, and well-draining potting mix, ensuring the new pot has excellent drainage holes.
Our recovery and future health depend entirely on the environment you provide. The single most important factor is your watering discipline. You must learn to water only when our top inch of soil is dry to the touch. You should always ensure our pot has drainage holes and never let us sit in a saucer of standing water. Furthermore, you must provide us with the right growing medium; a light, airy, fast-draining mix incorporating perlite, orchid bark, or coarse sand is ideal. This type of medium holds enough moisture for hydration while protecting us from suffocation by maintaining crucial air pockets around our root system.
