Floral Design with Cara: Container Garden Root Rot: Part I - The Cure
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on June 27, 2014 from Floral Design with Cara via Connect-Bridgeport.com
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Last weeks' blog covered the causes and preventions of root rot. Root rot is a fungus that attacks plants in soggy soil. Unfortunately, root damage is usually too extensive before you even realize what is happening. Wilted or dropping leaves, and wet soil down to the second knuckle of your index finger are classic symptoms of root rot. Although not sure-fire, there is a way to 'cure' root rot. Wash the soil from the roots with a strong spray of water, getting as much of the old soil off as possible. The fungus is living in the soil, so you don't want to put it back into the pot.
Remove any dead or diseased roots. Mix a solution of one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts water and soak the roots for 10 minutes. Dry the remaining roots with a paper towel and dust them with fungicidal powder to kill any remaining fungus spores. Scrub the container thoroughly with a solution of one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water and submerge it in the solution for 20 minutes. This will kill any remaining fungal spores lurking in the container. Provide extra drainage if necessary. It's impossible to control the weather, so during rainy spells, root rot is inevitable. One thing I do as a preventative is to put 1 to 2 inches of small pebbles in the bottom of outdoor containers to give the water some way to drain out of the soil. You can also enlarge the bottom drainage holes or drill additional holes if there aren't enough. Fill the clean, dry pot with new, well-draining, sterile potting soil. I usually add about one-quarter perlite to the mix to ensure good drainage. Don't sit the pot in a tray if it's going to be outside where it gets rained on. If it's hand-watered, empty excess water from the bottom tray after 5 minutes. Most plants won't survive root rot, but you may be able to save the plant during the early progression of the disease. Repotting the plant into barely moist, sterile potting soil reduces moisture in the pot and prevents further fungal attacks on the root system. If you reuse the old pot, sterilize it in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water to destroy any fungus surviving on the container. Water the plant sparingly so the soil doesn't dry out completely until the roots recover and the plant begins producing new foliage. Although not guaranteed, it's worth a try if it's a plant you love. And, as always with any plant disease, the only cure is prevention.
