From our perspective as Portulaca plants, we are built for the sun. Our succulent leaves and stems are designed to store precious water, allowing us to thrive in hot, dry, and sunny conditions. When our roots are forced to sit in constantly wet soil, it is a direct assault on our very nature. We cannot breathe, we cannot function, and a deadly condition called root rot sets in. Here is how you can help us recover and prevent this from happening again, explained from our point of view.
We cannot speak, so we communicate our suffering through our appearance. Please, pay close attention to these cries for help. Initially, our normally plump and turgid leaves will become soft, mushy, and may turn a yellowish or translucent color. This is a sign that our cells are rupturing from too much water. Our vibrant stems will start to wilt and become black or brown at the base, feeling soft and rotten to the touch. Most tragically, the very part of us that you cannot see—our root system—will turn dark brown or black, become slimy, and emit a foul, decaying smell. This is the rot itself, and it is killing us.
If you catch the problem early, there is hope. You must act decisively to give us a fighting chance. First, gently lift us out of our waterlogged prison. Carefully shake off the soggy soil and then rinse our roots under a gentle stream of lukewarm water so you can see the extent of the damage. Now comes the critical part: with a clean, sharp pair of scissors, you must cut away all the dark, mushy, and smelly roots. Be ruthless; any rot left behind will spread. Only healthy, firm, white or light-colored roots should remain.
You must never put us back into the same old, contaminated, wet soil. We need a fresh start. Please repot us into a clean container with excellent drainage holes, using a brand new, well-draining potting mix. For us, a cactus or succulent mix is perfect, as it is formulated to mimic our preferred dry conditions. You can even add extra perlite or coarse sand to it to ensure water flows through quickly. After repotting, do not water us immediately! Our trimmed roots are wounded and need a few days to callous over. This pause prevents new infections from taking hold.
To prevent this trauma from happening again, you must learn to water us on our terms, not on a human schedule. The most important rule is to always check the soil before giving us water. Push your finger an inch or two into the soil. If it feels even slightly damp, please wait. We need the soil to be completely dry all the way through before our next drink. When you do water, water us thoroughly until it runs out of the drainage holes, and then ensure we are never left sitting in a saucer of water. We would much rather be a little thirsty than be drowning.
Beyond water, our overall environment is key to keeping us strong and resistant to rot. Please place us where we can bask in at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Strong sun helps dry the soil and keeps our metabolism high. Ensure we have good air circulation around our pots; stagnant, humid air encourages the fungal pathogens that cause rot. Finally, during the dormant winter months, we need even less water as our growth slows almost to a halt.
