From my perspective as a Clivia, I am a resilient plant, but my roots are my lifeline. They are thick, fleshy, and designed to store water and nutrients, which is why they are so vulnerable to sitting in soggy, oxygen-deprived soil. When root rot sets in, it's a silent, underground crisis. Here is what is happening from my point of view and how you can intervene.
I cannot speak, so I communicate my distress through my leaves and overall posture. The first signs are often subtle. You might notice that my normally sturdy, dark green leaves are becoming limp, soft, and are starting to yellow, particularly from the base upwards. This yellowing is different from a simple lack of nutrients; it has a waterlogged, almost translucent quality. My growth will completely stall, as I have no healthy roots to support new leaf production. The most telling sign is when my pot feels unusually heavy long after watering, indicating the soil is not draining and the water has nowhere to go.
To confirm your suspicions, you must look at the source of the problem: my root system. Gently lift me from my pot. Healthy Clivia roots should be firm, plump, and a pale yellow or white color, often with bright green growing tips. If I am suffering from root rot, you will find a very different scene. The roots will be soft, mushy, and dark brown or black. They may fall apart easily when touched and will likely have a distinct, unpleasant, musty, or rotten smell. This is the smell of my tissues decaying due to fungal or bacterial infection.
If you act quickly, there is a good chance I can recover. This process requires care and a sterile approach.
Step 1: Emergency Unpotting and Assessment. Carefully remove me from the pot and gently wash the soil away from my roots under a gentle stream of lukewarm water. This will allow you to see the full extent of the damage.
Step 2: Surgical Removal of Rotted Tissue. Using a pair of sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears (sterilized with rubbing alcohol), cut away every single soft, brown, or black root. Be ruthless but precise. Only healthy, firm, pale roots should remain. This is essential to stop the infection from spreading.
Step 3: Disinfection and Drying. After the amputation, it is wise to disinfect my remaining root system. You can dip the roots in a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution (one part 3% peroxide to two parts water) or a fungicide solution recommended for root rot. Then, place me in a warm, shaded, and well-ventilated area to allow the cuts to callous over for a few hours. This drying period is crucial to prevent new infections.
Step 4: Repotting in a Safe Environment. Choose a clean pot with excellent drainage holes—it can even be the same pot if you scrub it thoroughly with a bleach solution. The potting mix is critical. Use a very well-draining medium, such as a mix specifically for orchids (like bark chips), succulents, or a blend of peat, perlite, and coarse sand. Do not use standard, moisture-retentive potting soil.
Step 5: The Recovery Period. After repotting, do not water me immediately. Wait for about a week to ten days to allow my wounded roots to heal and to encourage new root growth. Place me in a bright location with indirect light and avoid fertilizing until you see signs of new growth, which indicates that my root system is re-establishing itself. When you resume watering, do so sparingly, only when the top few inches of the potting mix are completely dry.
