What to Do About Root Rot in Monstera? Latest Solutions Explained
Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) is a tropical plant native to Mexico. Because its leaves are large and green with holes and splits, it is very distinctive, and more and more people are growing it now. Monstera is cultivated differently in the north and south of China. In southern regions such as Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan, it can be grown directly in the open ground, while in areas north of Hubei it needs to be grown in a greenhouse. With more people growing it, more problems have come up, and root rot is one of them. So why does monstera get root rot? What should you do about monstera root rot? Let's discuss these questions today.
1. Causes of root rot in monstera
To understand how to deal with monstera root rot, we first need to know why monstera gets root rot. In fact, those who have a good grasp of growing techniques should know that the causes of root rot in the vast majority of plants come down to two aspects: one is watering, and the other is fertilizing. Watering and fertilizing are also two essential things for plant growth, so how do watering and fertilizing lead to root rot in monstera? Let's explain in detail below.
1. Overwatering
When growing monstera, you need to give it a warm and humid growing environment. Because monstera is rather afraid of drought, it needs plenty of water when being grown, but if you water too much, water will accumulate in the pot, and then root rot will occur.
2. Overfertilizing
Monstera is a plant that likes fertilizer, so many people give it a lot of fertilizer when growing it, but note that you must fertilize monstera in the right amount. If you fertilize too much, it will burn the roots, and then rot will occur.
2. What to do about monstera root rot
When growing monstera, you need to manage water and fertilizer well. On the premise of ensuring sufficient nutrients for growth, avoid too much water and fertilizer, which can play a certain role in preventing root rot. If monstera does get root rot, first of all do not fertilize. Then dig the monstera out of the flower pot, cut off the rotten roots, trim the leaves a bit, and put it in a cool, ventilated place to dry. Once the wounds have dried and healed, you can replant it.
3. Causes and solutions for root rot in hydroponic monstera
Monstera can also be grown hydroponically. During the hydroponic stage, monstera will not have problems with water accumulation or burned roots, so how does it still get root rot? In this case, root rot is usually because the roots of the monstera became infected with pathogens during hydroponic culture. When the pathogens multiply in large numbers, they corrode the roots and cause root rot.
If hydroponic monstera develops root rot, first cut off the roots that have already rotted to prevent further infection. The trimmed roots should be placed in a potassium permanganate solution to disinfect them, then taken out and dried. Clean the hydroponic container, replace all the water, and clean off things like the moss on the inner walls. Add water again, then put the treated monstera back, and once it regrows you can care for it normally.
The above is what Qinnong Net introduces to you about the causes of and solutions for monstera root rot. We hope it can be of help to everyone. Here Qinnong Net also reminds everyone that monstera is a plant in the Araceae family, and its sap is somewhat toxic, with a certain irritating and corrosive effect on the skin. When growing it at home, be sure not to damage the stems and leaves of the plant, to prevent the liquid from seeping out; however, monstera does not give off a toxic odor. On the contrary, it can also purify indoor air, making it a plant very suitable for growing indoors.