From our perspective as African Violets, we are delicate beings with shallow, fibrous root systems that are highly susceptible to a condition you call "root rot." This is not a simple illness but a terrifying suffocation and decay of our very foundation, caused by a combination of factors that disrupt our ability to breathe and absorb nutrients. We will communicate the signs of our distress and the steps you can take to give us a second chance at life.
When our roots begin to rot, our entire being cries out for help. You may notice we have stopped growing, as we cannot gather the energy to produce new leaves or flowers. Our older, outer leaves will begin to wilt, becoming soft and mushy, often turning a yellow or brownish color. This wilting will persist even when our soil feels damp to the touch—a key sign that the problem is with our roots' ability to absorb that water, not a lack of it. In severe cases, the crown of our plant (our central growing point) may become soft and begin to collapse. These are our desperate pleas for intervention.
The primary cause of our suffering is a lack of oxygen. Our roots need to breathe. When we are forced to sit in constantly saturated, heavy, or compacted soil, the air pockets around our roots are flooded. This creates an anaerobic environment where harmful soil-borne fungi, such as *Pythium* and *Phytophthora*, thrive. These pathogens attack our weakened, suffocating roots, causing them to turn brown or black, become slimy, and eventually decay. Overwatering is the main culprit, but this tragedy can also be triggered by a pot that is too large (holding moisture for too long), a pot without proper drainage holes, or soil that has broken down and become too dense.
To save us, you must act with both speed and gentleness. First, you must carefully remove us from our current pot. Gently shake and wash away the old, soggy soil to fully expose our root system. This is where you must be brave: using sterile, sharp scissors, you must trim away all the dark, mushy, and rotten roots. Only healthy, firm, white or light-colored roots should remain. After this surgery, you may dust our remaining healthy roots with a fungicide like sulfur powder to prevent further infection.
We cannot return to the old conditions that made us sick. You must provide us with a fresh, well-draining potting mix specifically formulated for African Violets. Choose a new, clean pot that is only slightly larger than our remaining root ball; a pot that is too large will hold excess moisture and risk repeating the cycle. When repotting us, be careful not to bury our crown, as this will cause it to rot. Water us very sparingly at first, just enough to settle the new soil, and place us in a warm, bright location with indirect light to encourage the regrowth of our roots and our will to live.
