From my perspective, my roots are my lifeline. They are how I drink and eat. When they begin to rot in soggy, oxygen-starved soil, my entire system goes into crisis. I cannot tell you in words, so I must show you. Please, look for my cries for help. My lower leaves will turn a sickly yellow, then brown, and become soft and droopy before they fall off. This starts at the oldest leaves and moves upward. The vibrant colors I am known for will fade and become dull. Most alarmingly, my stems may feel soft and mushy at the base, near the soil line. If you gently tug on me, I might offer little resistance because my anchoring roots have decayed. This is a severe emergency for me.
The issue is not just water; it is suffocation. My roots need to breathe. When I am left sitting in constantly wet soil, the air pockets around my roots fill with water. Without oxygen, the cells in my roots begin to die and decay. This creates an opening for opportunistic pathogens, like fungi and water molds (such as Phytophthora or Pythium), to invade. These organisms attack my weakened root tissues, accelerating the decay. They are the disease, but the waterlogged environment you—unknowingly—provided is the true cause. It is a silent, underground attack that you cannot see until I am critically ill.
To save me, you must act quickly and gently. First, you must carefully lift me from my pot. Gently shake and wash the soil away from my roots so you can see the damage. Healthy roots are firm and may be white, tan, or even reddish. Rotten roots are dark brown or black, mushy, and will likely fall apart easily. They may also have a foul, decaying smell. Using sterile, sharp pruning shears or scissors, you must cut away all of the affected roots. Be ruthless but careful; any rot left behind will spread. After the surgery, you can bathe my remaining healthy roots in a fungicide solution or a diluted hydrogen peroxide mix to kill any lingering spores.
Do not put me back into my old, contaminated home. I need a fresh start in a new pot that has excellent drainage holes and is only slightly larger than my remaining root system. A pot that is too big will hold too much soil and water, risking a repeat of this trauma. My new soil must be light, airy, and fast-draining. A mix designed for palms or citrus, or a standard potting mix amended with plenty of perlite and orchid bark, is ideal. When you repot me, be gentle with my fragile, surviving roots. Water me lightly to settle the new soil around my roots, but then please, allow me to dry out significantly before watering again. I need time to recover and grow new, healthy roots in my new, breathable environment.
