What to Do About Root Rot in Clivia? Detailed Guide to the Latest Treatment Methods

Clivia root rot can occur in all four seasons, but it is most common in summer, mainly due to the specific environment of high temperature and high humidity and the grower's lack of care knowledge. The main causes of Clivia root rot and the control measures are described below.

Clivia root rot caused by improper pot choice

Nowadays, some people grow Clivia in ceramic pots, plastic pots or purple clay pots, which have poor air and water permeability, for the sake of appearance. After watering in summer, because the pot has poor permeability and air circulation is difficult, the roots' respiration is blocked, causing root rot.

Clivia root rot caused by improper watering and fertilizing

Some people, although they plant Clivia in a clay pot, are so afraid that it will lack water and fertilizer in summer that they water as soon as the surface soil looks dry (in fact, the potting soil is still moist), and they often apply strong fertilizer. Add to this the rapid multiplication of certain harmful bacteria in summer, and root rot results.

How to prevent Clivia root rot?

Whether Clivia is in the vegetative growth stage (from seedling stage to before flowering) or the reproductive growth stage (after flowering begins), its suitable growing temperature is 15-25 degrees. Generally, home growers of Clivia lack the necessary environmental equipment, so they should proceed from the actual situation. In the hot, humid summer, in addition to measures such as shading, ventilation and cooling, they should also start from the angle of controlling its growth (keeping the plant in a dormant or semi-dormant state, which benefits its growth and development in the other seasons) and strengthen root care in summer.

1. Use clay pots for growing Clivia.

2. Do not fertilize in summer, or apply only a small amount of dilute liquid fertilizer.

3. Control watering in summer, and insist on never watering until the soil is completely dry. To prevent excessive water in summer from suffocating the roots, you can use a large wooden box filled with moist sawdust and bury the flower pot in it (do not water inside the pot), then check regularly and spray on more water when the sawdust dries out.

Emergency measures for Clivia root rot

If root rot happens by accident, rescue it quickly. First take the Clivia with rotten roots out of the pot and remove the soil, cut off the orchid roots, wash the roots with clean water, then soak the root area in a potassium permanganate aqueous solution, then wrap all the leaves in white paper, leaving the roots exposed, face the roots toward the sun, and sun them for half an hour, using ultraviolet rays to kill the pathogens. After the above treatment, if only a few roots of the diseased plant have rotted, it can be planted directly into sterilized nutrient soil, watered sparingly for the first half month, and it can resume growth after a month and a half; if more than half or all of the roots of the diseased plant have rotted, it should be planted in a pot filled with fine sand and placed in a cool, shaded place to wait for new roots to sprout. After about 2 months, when new roots have grown, replace the nutrient soil and normal care can then be carried out.