How to Save a Peony with Root Rot? A Detailed Guide to Practical Methods

Once a peony's roots have rotted, you need to trim away the rotten roots promptly and then disinfect them with a dedicated sterilizing solution. Unsuitable soil can cause root rot, so you also need to repot it into loose, fertile, well-draining neutral or slightly alkaline soil. You also need to water and fertilize it properly, and only then can you keep it from developing root rot.

How to save a peony with root rot

1. Prune and disinfect

When a peony's roots have rotted, you need to prune it promptly: take the plant out of the soil, then cut away all the rotten roots, which prevents the rotting part from spreading. After that, soak it in a sterilizing solution such as carbendazim to disinfect it, and finally let the water on the surface of its roots dry.

2. Replace the soil

When a peony's roots rot, it is very likely caused by unsuitable soil. It likes to grow in loose, fertile, well-draining neutral or slightly alkaline soil. If the soil is compacted or slightly acidic, it is prone to root rot, so at this point you also need to repot it with fresh soil.

3. Reasonable watering and fertilizing

When growing peonies, if you water too much, or apply unrotted manure or concentrated fertilizer, root rot can also occur. So in later care, we need to follow the watering principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet; when fertilizing, apply rotted fertilizer, and it must be diluted before use.