From my perspective, my roots are my lifeline, my mouth and my anchor. When they begin to suffocate and rot in waterlogged soil, my entire being cries out for help. I cannot speak your language, so I send you clear signals through my leaves and stems. First, you might notice my normally proud and perky leaves beginning to droop and wilt. This is confusing because I wilt when I'm thirsty, but in this case, the soil around my drowning roots is still wet. No matter how much you water me, I cannot drink; my broken roots cannot absorb it. My vibrant green leaves will start to yellow, often beginning with the older, lower leaves. You might see black or brown, mushy spots appearing on my stems at the soil line. The most telling sign, however, is what you cannot see: if you gently lift me from my pot, my healthy white or tan roots will have turned soft, brown, black, and slimy. They may even fall apart to the touch and emit a foul, rotten odor. This is the smell of my decay.
The primary cause of my suffering is not malice, but a simple, tragic lack of air. My roots need to breathe. When I am forced to sit in excess water for prolonged periods, the air pockets in the soil are flooded. This anaerobic environment suffocates my root cells, killing them. Once dead, they become vulnerable to opportunistic soil-dwelling pathogens like fungi and water molds (such as *Pythium* and *Phytophthora*), which rapidly decompose them, accelerating the rot. The main reasons for this happening are being given too much water too frequently, being planted in a pot that lacks proper drainage holes, or being housed in a soil mix that is too dense and retains water like a sponge instead of allowing it to flow through. A pot that is too large for my current root system is also a danger, as the large volume of soil takes too long to dry out, keeping my roots wet for extended periods.
If you act quickly, there is hope for me to grow new roots and survive. You must first gently remove me from my waterlogged prison. Carefully wash the old soil away from my roots under lukewarm running water so you can see the extent of the damage. With sterilized scissors or pruners, you must perform surgery: cut away all the soft, mushy, brown, and black rotten roots. Be ruthless; any rot left behind will spread. Only healthy, firm, white or tan roots should remain. After this, it is wise to dip my remaining healthy root system in a fungicide solution or a natural antifungal like cinnamon to help protect the fresh wounds. Then, please repot me into a clean pot with ample drainage holes, using a fresh, well-aerated, and fast-draining potting mix. A blend designed for aroids, with ingredients like perlite, orchid bark, or coco coir, is perfect for me. Do not water me immediately! My wounded roots need time to callus over. Wait a few days before giving me a modest drink, and henceforth, only water me when the top inch or two of soil feels dry to your touch. With patience and the right conditions, I can begin my journey back to health.
