Use a fan to help distribute air across around the room, and if you are even more serious, install additional vents in your house’s central air system. First, start by cutting and picking off infected parts of the plant. At this stage leaves pop off your plant effortlessly, and if you attempt to remove your succulent from the soil, it may fall apart or into pieces. First, we need to create a fast-draining succulent soil mix (if you don’t already have one). But, if you know the signs of root rot, then you can catch it early. Root rot is a very fatal disease for succulents, especially since the roots, which give the plant nutrition, is what is under attack. The leaves may also become distorted (smaller than usual, twisted, etc.). You want to do this for two reasons: This helps excess water evaporate faster, and if your succulent wasn’t receiving enough light before, then more light exposure can improve its health. The New Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel, editor. Her fiction writing appears in "Bewildering Stories," "The Other Herald" and "Spectacular Speculations. Here’s how: If the water doesn’t exit the pot within a few seconds, then your soil isn’t porous enough, and it needs more sand or perlite to drain better. Roots that sit in water for many hours are most susceptible to the fungi that cause root rot. Root rot can quickly spread to the rest of the plant. By preventing root rot altogether, you won’t have to worry about losing future plants (and money). If you aren’t quite sure if your succulent has root rot or not, and you want to make sure before you try to uproot it, use a soil meter to measure your soil’s moisture level. I start by using garden shears to cut the succulent steam. Succulent Dehydration: Signs, Treatment, and Prevention, Adequate Light and Air Circulation (for indoor succulents), Fill a pint sized pot that has drainage holes with your soil mix, Make sure the water drains from the pot within a few seconds. Root rot is a deadly disease, especially for plants like succulents that are sensitive to water, but that doesn’t mean it has to be fatal. If you are growing succulents indoors, sunlight and air circulation isn’t going to be as strong as it would be outside. In order to create a succulent soil mix with fast drainage, combine 3 parts soil, 2 parts sand, and 1 part perlite. The benefit to this is two fold: It’s important to remove sick leaves since they don’t function as efficiently, but when you remove lower leaves from the succulent, you also save the plant energy, which it can use to grow new roots. Indoor plant root rot symptoms include wilted leaves that do not improve with watering, leading to chlorosis of lower leaves and leaf drop. Some houseplants, such as pothos, begonias and African violets are more susceptible to root rot. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Examine outdoor plants for signs of root rot immediately after symptoms develop or after the plant dies. Typical symptoms are: Individual shoots wilt within a short time. Many succulent owners accidentally overwater their succulents. But, if the rot hasn’t consumed all of your succulent’s stem, there’s a chance to save it! This is especially common among new hobbyists or gardeners who are used to caring for flower beds or vegetable gardens. The two most common root rot fungi include Pythium and Phytophthora, which are active in soils between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but can lie dormant in the soil in cooler temperatures. Once you do inspect the roots, you may find that they are a different color than normal (darker, reddish-brown, etc.) As the rot becomes more advanced, a black rot will move up the stem, lower leaves, and through the top of the succulent. Pots impact the air circulation, drainage, and the moisture levels of the soil. I’ve come up with a series of steps that have helped me save most of my succulents that developed root rot. After two weeks have passed, you can return to your succulent’s normal watering schedule. in professional writing. If your succulent is still primarily green or colorful, then your odds are even better. You’ll notice dark brown to black spots on the lower leaves because they’re the first to absorb the excess water and any fungus or bacterial that has infected the roots. The signs are simple, but subtle, like root rot. Discard or compost the dead piece of stem. and stink with rot. To learn more, read Succulent Dehydration: Signs, Treatment, and Prevention. These fungi are microscopic, multicellular organisms that feed parasitically on green plants causing disease. This allows your succulent’s stem to heal and for the plant to dry out. If you pull up a plant with root rot, you will see that the roots are brown and soft instead of firm and white. For more advanced gardeners, wood, glazed ceramic and glass are manageable despite their tendency to retain water. The disease turns affected roots into a brown or black mush that can’t transport nutrients to the rest of the plant. Leaves become pale, start to yellow, and then increasingly become transparent and brown as roots start to die. There is never a 100% guarantee that a succulent will recover from root rot. Outdoor plants affected by root rot may show many different symptoms. Root rot happens when your plant’s roots succumb to pathogens of decay. But, we’ll also cover less popular pots that really deserve more attention. Based in Indiana, Molly Allman holds a B.A. I’ve found that if you cut a little bit more into the green, then you reduce the risk of accidentally keeping a piece of stem that just started rotting, but hasn’t discolored yet. Plants with root problems may have dull leaves, yellowing and wilting foliage. Better yet, we can reduce future outbreaks of root rot by adjusting our soil, pots, and the light and air quality of a room. Of course, be mindful of your succulent’s light needs, as some prefer more or less light than others. Roots affects are brown and mushy, instead of white and firm. Root rot is very easy is to fix (if it isn’t too late). When it comes to poor air circulation, there are a number of things you can do to make your growing space better. Healthy roots will be white or yellow with a light fuzz on the surface, which is mycorrhizal fungi- a very beneficial symbiotic fungus that helps with nutrient uptake. Poor drainage, overcrowding, inadequate sunlight and over-watering most commonly cause root rot in both indoor and outdoor plants. She works as both a writer and author and enjoys writing articles on many different topics. Growing plants indoors does not prevent root rot. Root rot is a condition that, if left untreated, will kill plants. Plastic, terracotta, peat, coconut coir, wood, glazed ceramic and glass are some of the most popular types of pots. Don’t water your newly planted succulent for two weeks. Improving your soil mix, choosing a better pot, and improving light and air circulation will stop excess moisture from invading your garden. Plants that are overcrowded or not getting enough sunlight are also susceptible to root rot, so space plants as instructed and grow in areas with good drainage and the recommended amount of sunlight. That’s why drier soil mixes are safer than ones that retain moisture. During warm months, open the windows during the brightest hours of the day. If you are a beginner, I recommend terracotta, peat, coconut coir, or plastic. Check your nursery for indoor and outdoor resistant varieties. Root rot is a soil-borne disease and most often a problem for plants in poor growing environments, such as poor drainage, overcrowding and inadequate sunlight. When root rot begins, the signs are subtle. But, before I continue, it’s important to have realistic expectations. These are all incredibly important for succulents since they hate sitting in water. To prevent root rot, grow plants in well-draining soils and do not over water. For both outdoor and indoor plants, remove and destroy any affected branches or dead plants to help prevent spreading the disease. Yet another sign of root rot is that, no matter how much you water the plant, it always looks wilted. I recommend moving root rot recovering succulents into a location that is slightly brighter than the one they were in before. Now that you’ve cleaned your succulent’s stem, remove any leaves that have started to discolor due to the root. Once a callus has formed, it can be planted in new soil, but I recommend placing it in fresh, better draining soil. Now that you know what root rot looks like and how to fix it, it’s time to make sure it never happens again. Root rot affects both indoor and outdoor plants, as the problem is caused by fungi in the soil. How do you know if your soil is porous enough? Indoor plant root rot symptoms include wilted leaves that do not improve with watering, leading to chlorosis of lower leaves and leaf drop.