What to Do When Root Rot Occurs in Hydroponic Pothos? Learn the Correct Way to Handle It

Pothos is known as the easiest green plant to grow, but some plant lovers still run into root rot with their pothos. So what should you do when root rot occurs in hydroponic pothos? How can you prevent it?

1. What to do when root rot occurs in hydroponic pothos?

1. Improper water changes

To grow pothos well, proper water changes are essential. Otherwise, the hydroponic growing medium becomes overly contaminated and the water quality deteriorates, easily becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, which in turn causes root rot in hydroponic pothos.

Generally, when the water inside the pothos container becomes somewhat cloudy, it is time to change the water. In spring and autumn, change the water about once every two weeks; in winter, change it about once every three weeks, to prevent poor water quality from harming the healthy growth of the pothos.

When changing the water, take care that when removing the pothos from the original hydroponic growing medium, it is best to first rinse its root area with clean water, and then rinse the container repeatedly, so that bacteria in the original water do not infect it.

Of course, the frequency of water changes should not be too high either; the pothos needs enough time to adapt and grow. If you change the water too often, even once a day, it can easily cause slow growth and poor development in the pothos.

2. Water level too high

When growing and caring for pothos hydroponically, do not put too much solution in the container; you must leave enough breathing space for the pothos root area. If the water level is too high, the entire pothos can easily be submerged in water, and its roots cannot breathe, so it naturally tends to rot and die.

When growing pothos hydroponically, pay attention to the water level of the growing medium. When adding solution to the container, it is best not to submerge all the pothos roots in water; this way you can ensure normal respiration of the plant roots.

3. Water quality problems

Actually, as for the water quality for caring for pothos, the problems involved are not serious. You can choose tap water and then add a little hydroponic nutrient solution to it.

However, note that tap water needs to be left to stand for a while first, so that the chlorine in the water is fully released, before it is used to care for pothos. Otherwise, the chlorine contained in tap water will have an adverse effect on the root growth of pothos.

4. Water temperature too high

When caring for pothos, be sure to note that the water temperature chosen for growing pothos must not be too high, otherwise its roots can easily be affected by the high temperature, and may even age rapidly and rot.

Especially in summer and other high-temperature seasons, when growing pothos hydroponically, be careful that the water temperature inside the container does not continuously stay above 30°C for long periods. Provide shade and cooling, and prevent exposure to strong sun, to maintain the healthy growth of pothos.

2. How to prevent root rot in hydroponic pothos?

1. You can add some hydrogen peroxide and the like to the hydroponic solution in advance, to achieve a full disinfecting and sterilizing effect.

2. In summer and autumn, to prevent oxygen deprivation and root rot in pothos, you can gently shake the hydroponic pothos container from time to time. This helps promote oxygen exchange in the solution and replenishes the oxygen environment for the plant roots.

3. Change the water frequently. For hydroponic pothos, frequent water changes are very necessary, generally once every two to three days. The reason is that pothos has extremely high requirements for water quality, and adding nutrient solution is also essential, so that pothos can shine with vitality.

4. Suitable temperature. The temperature for pothos to safely overwinter is above 10°C. At a room temperature above 20°C, pothos can grow normally. Too large a temperature difference will affect the growth of pothos. At the same time, be careful that the leaves do not get close to heating equipment.

5. Choice of water quality. Use clean tap water or purified water to grow pothos. The correct choice of water quality is important because it contains a large amount of minerals.