What exactly is root rot and how to tell if snake plant has root rot? It’s the sight of bacteria-infected roots that are mushy and brown. They are drawn to damp environments.
Some bacteria, particularly those that thrive in wet and rainy settings, can be beneficial to plants. They have the potential to do a lot of harm to your Snake plant and cause a lot of problems. In these damp conditions, water fungus can also develop and thrive. These fungi cling to your plant and are unpleasant to deal with.
In addition to bacteria and fungi, your roots shouldn’t look brown. A brown root appearance is only caused by soil covering the roots! In the event of soil being washed away, a healthy root system should be strong and firm, with natural white or tan hues.
How to Tell If Your Snake Plant Has Root Rot
Snake plants are prone to root rot caused by overwatering, which can create soggy roots.The degradation of the root system causes root rot, which smells like death. As the rotting progresses and your plant is destroyed, it will degrade and stink horribly! Examining a plant with root rot might be challenging because the substance cannot be seen because it occurs below the soil’s surface.
One thing to not to tell if your snake plant has root rot is if you observe any discoloration in the leaves or the foliage beginning to wilt, you may have a root rot problem that has arisen as a result of overwatering. To save your snake plant from root rot, read this post. It has all of the information you require.
Plants are susceptible to root rot caused by fungi and bacteria that have infested their roots. Overwatering results in the soil remaining damp for long periods of time, which leads to root rot. Wet soils are perfect breeding grounds for fungi, bacteria, and worms that wilt and eventually kill plants by destroying their roots.
Next thing to do to tell if your snake plant has root rot is by smelling the soil, you may instantly identify if your plant is suffering from root rot. Fill your nose with a smidgeon of dirt from around the plant’s base. A stinky soil sample indicates the presence of fungi as a result of wetness.
To tell if your snake plant has root rot, look for any sign of fungal infection. Sansevieria has a fungal infection as a result of overwatering. This is also an indication that you should inspect the roots for signs of root rot.
White crusty roots are characteristic of a healthy snake plant. It may be root rot if you notice sections of the roots turning brown (or black). To prevent the snake plant from overwatering, it is best to remove the affected roots, wash the plant with water, and transplant to a new potting medium.
Prevent Root Rot?
It’s easy to avoid root rot. It’s all about drainage and watering. If you follow these basic guidelines, you’ll never have to worry about root rot in your plants.
Provide proper drainage for your plant – Make sure your plant is potted in something with drainage hole(s), such as a plastic nursery pot or a decorative pot with drainage hole. If your decorative pot lacks a drainage hole, simply place the plant in its plastic pot inside the decorative pot. Maintain a regular watering schedule – Most plants thrive when they are watered on a regular basis.
You can quickly kill a plant with intermittent watering as it often means the plant doesn’t have time to dry out between waterings (thereby causing root rot). Check the soil – Before watering, always check the soil of the plant. Generally, plants like to dry out a bit before they need to be watered, so depending on the kind of plant you have, you may need to wait until the top couple of inches of the soil is dry before watering.
Aerate the soil – Aerating the soil causes it to loosen up, allowing for a better flow of water and oxygen, which helps prevent moisture buildup in the roots of your plants.
Fix Root Rot?
If you find root rot early on, you may be able to salvage your plant if you act quickly. To repair root rot in most common houseplants, follow these procedures.
If your plant has been shedding leaves, yellowing, or developing soft, mushy leaves, you might have root rot. Take the plant out of its pot and look at the roots. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and treat the roots if they’re soft, damp, brown, and/or mushy.
Remove as much soil as possible from your plant’s roots and cut the afflicted roots off with clean shears or scissors after it’s out of its pot. Wash the remaining roots under running water to remove any soil.
You can repot your plant using fresh soil in a pot with proper drainage (and if you are using the same pot, make sure to clean it thoroughly before repotting). You may also prune the top of the plant a bit if there were many roots removed, so that the plant has fewer leaves to send its energy to.
Make sure that the soil is completely dry before watering. Your plant will then re-grow and become the healthy specimen it once was within a few weeks!
Don’t panic, and don’t forget that the closer you are to your plants, the more likely they will thrive. Be sure to water them regularly, watch for issues, and enjoy the many benefits they provide!