What to Do About Root Rot in the ZZ Plant? Teach You the Correct Way to Handle It
The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) placed in a fairly spacious living room, study, or family room has an elegant, unassuming style with a touch of tropical flavor. It is a world-famous new-generation indoor foliage plant with a graceful, neat plant shape, but root rot can occur during cultivation. Below, let us take a look together at what to do about root rot in the ZZ plant!
Growth Habits of the ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant likes warm, hot, slightly dry, semi-shaded environments with little change in average annual temperature. It is fairly drought-tolerant, but afraid of cold, and avoids strong light and scorching sun. It fears heavy, sticky soil and water accumulation in the potting soil. If the potting soil has poor aeration and drainage, it easily leads to tuber rot. It requires loose, fertile soil that drains well, is rich in organic matter, and is acidic to slightly acidic. It has strong sprouting ability; after cutting off the thick, large pinnate compound leaves, new leaves will quickly sprout from the top of its tuber.
Causes of Root Rot in the ZZ Plant
1. Root rot in the ZZ plant may be caused by potting soil that is too dry. The ZZ plant likes potting soil that is just slightly moist, and by nature it does not like water. But if the potting soil drains poorly and the water quality becomes stale and rotten, it can cause root rot.
2. Root rot in the ZZ plant may be caused by using relatively strong fertilizer before the root system has grown well. Strong fertilizer can burn the root and stem area of the plant (the part close to the pot). It may also be that the potting soil is unsanitary, and when watering or raining, pathogens splash onto the ZZ plant.
3. Root rot in the ZZ plant is root rot disease, caused by watering too much, which results in scarce air near the roots; in a humid environment, large amounts of fungi breed, ultimately forming root rot. Carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl can both be used. Penicillin cannot be used. It is best to first dig the plant out, cut off the rotten roots, soak it in a carbendazim solution for about 10 minutes, then replace the soil and replant.
What to Do About Root Rot in the ZZ Plant
1. Generally, the cause of root rot in the ZZ plant is root rot caused by watering. The plant needs to be promptly taken out of the pot, part of the old soil shaken off, placed in a semi-shaded, cool place to air dry for 1-2 days, and then replanted in new sandy loam soil. Afterward, the pot used should not be too large, and watering should not be too frequent. Water when the potting soil is 70% dry. Do not follow a rigid watering interval; water flexibly.
2. If the root rot is relatively severe, it is best to shake off all the soil, then soak it in a 500-fold dilution of potassium permanganate or carbendazim solution for 5-10 minutes, then rinse it once with clean water, air dry until the root system is dry, and replant.
3. You can first take the plant out of the flowerpot, cut off the rotten tubers and branches and leaves, then apply charcoal powder to the wounds, leave the roots exposed in a warm place, and after the wounds dry, bury it in the potting soil and stop watering until spring warmth raises the temperature above 20°C, when normal watering can resume. But the amount of water must be small, only keeping the potting soil slightly moist.