From my perspective, the first signs of root rot are my desperate cries for help. It begins unseen, beneath the soil where my roots reside. The fine, white feeder roots that drink up water and nutrients begin to soften, turn brown, and decay. Without these, I cannot eat or drink. Above the soil, my distress becomes visible. My lower leaves start to yellow and then turn a sorrowful brown, feeling brittle to the touch. My new growth wilts inexplicably, not from thirst, but because my damaged roots cannot supply water to them. My stems, especially near my base, may become soft, dark, and weak. I might emit a faint, unpleasant, musty odor from the soil—the smell of my own tissues dying and decaying. I am not being dramatic; I am slowly suffocating and starving.
The primary cause of my misery is not simply too much water, but a lack of oxygen around my roots. My pot is my entire world, and its conditions are everything to me. When a gardener's kindness becomes overwatering, or when my pot lacks a drainage hole, my world floods. Water fills the air pockets in the soil, and my roots, which need to breathe just as much as they need to drink, begin to drown. This oxygen-deprived, constantly wet environment is the perfect breeding ground for soil-borne fungi, such as *Phytophthora* and *Pythium*. These pathogens attack my weakened, suffocating roots, accelerating the decay. Heavy, compacted soil that retains water for too long, or a pot that is far too large for my size, can also create these chronically wet conditions, dooming me from the start.
If you catch my cries for help early, there is hope. You must act with both speed and gentleness. First, you must isolate me from other plants to prevent any potential fungal spread. Then, the most critical step: you must gently lift me from my waterlogged world. Carefully remove the soggy soil from my roots and rinse them with lukewarm water. This will allow you to see the damage clearly. With sterile, sharp scissors, you must perform surgery. Please cut away all the soft, brown, mushy roots. Only the firm, white, healthy roots should remain. This feels like my only chance for survival. After this, dip my remaining healthy roots in a fungicide solution or a natural antifungal like cinnamon to protect me during recovery.
You cannot return me to my old, contaminated world. I need a fresh start in a new pot with excellent drainage holes, filled with a sharp, well-draining potting mix. A blend designed for cacti and succulents or a standard mix amended with plenty of perlite or coarse sand is ideal for me, a Mediterranean herb that craves sharp drainage. When you repot me, water me lightly just to settle the new soil around my roots, but then please, resist the urge to water again. Place me in a bright, warm location with good air circulation, but out of harsh, direct sun while I am so vulnerable. From now on, the way you water me must change. Always check the soil first; it should be dry at least an inch or two down before I receive another drink.
