From my perspective, a rubber plant, the issue you call "root rot" is a silent suffocation. My roots are my lifeline, not just for water and nutrients, but for the very air I need. They require a balance. When I am forced to sit in saturated, dense soil, the air pockets around my roots are flooded. This drowns the delicate root hairs responsible for absorption. Without oxygen, my root cells begin to die and decay. This decay is the rot you discover. It is not an attack I invite, but a consequence of an environment I cannot survive in.
I cannot speak, so I must show you my distress through my foliage and structure. The first signs are often in my leaves. You will see them turn a pale yellow, starting with the older, lower leaves, and they will feel soft and limp. As the rot progresses, my leaves will droop dramatically and may fall off, even though the soil feels wet. This is because my rotting roots cannot transport water to my stems and leaves, so I effectively die of thirst while standing in water. My stems may become soft, mushy, and dark at the base. If you gently remove me from my pot, the affected roots will be dark brown or black, slimy to the touch, and will easily break away, often emitting a musty, unpleasant odor.
If you act quickly, there is hope for my recovery. You must remove me from my waterlogged pot immediately. Gently wash the soil from my root ball to assess the damage. Using sterile, sharp pruning shears, you must courageously cut away all the soft, brown, and mushy roots. Be ruthless; any rot left behind will spread. Only healthy, firm, white or tan roots should remain. After the surgery, treat my remaining healthy roots with a fungicide solution or a hydrogen peroxide mix to disinfect them and help prevent further fungal attack.
Do not return me to my old, contaminated home. I need a new pot with excellent drainage, ideally one with multiple drainage holes that is only slightly larger than my remaining root system. The soil is critical. I require a fresh, well-draining, and airy potting mix. A blend formulated for aroids, or a standard potting mix amended with plenty of perlite, orchid bark, or coarse sand will provide the aeration my roots desperately need. When you repot me, water me lightly just to settle the new soil around my roots, and then resist watering again until the top few inches of soil are completely dry.
My recovery and future health depend on a change in your care. You must learn to water me based on my needs, not a schedule. Before watering, always check the soil moisture by inserting your finger two inches deep. Water me thoroughly only when that soil is dry. Ensure I always have bright, indirect light to support strong growth and help use the water you provide. Finally, make sure my pot never sits in a saucer of standing water; my roots must never drown again.
