What to Do If a Pothos Has Root Rot? Here's the Correct Way to Handle It
Pothos is a very common plant in our daily lives. Because it is fairly shade-tolerant, prefers a warm growing environment, has a certain ornamental value in itself, and also has the ability to purify the air, it is very well suited to being kept at home. Pothos has extremely strong vitality and can survive as soon as it meets water, but even for a plant like this, improper cultivation can still lead to root rot. Below, Qinnong Web will introduce the causes of pothos root rot and what to do about it.
I. Causes of Pothos Root Rot
There are two ways to cultivate pothos: it can be grown in soil or in water. The causes of root rot differ depending on the growing method, but to sum up, they mainly come down to the following aspects. Let's take a look together.
1. Temperature too low
Pothos likes a hot and humid growing environment. The most suitable growing temperature is 15~25°C, and in winter it must not go below 10°C for it to survive the winter safely. If the temperature is too low, the growth of the pothos roots will be inhibited, making root rot likely.
2. Overwatering
Pothos likes water, but that does not mean it should be watered a lot. Soil culture and water culture are different. With water culture, the water is changed frequently, and it is enough to ensure there is sufficient oxygen in the water. With soil culture, watering simply provides water for the plant's growth. When watering is excessive, the soil becomes short of oxygen, the roots cannot get oxygen, and rot occurs.
3. Disease
The occurrence of disease cannot be avoided; you can only spray chemicals promptly to control it. The hot and humid environment that pothos likes happens to also be the growing environment that pathogens and fungi like.
4. Poor water quality
Another important cause of root rot is dirty water quality. There are large amounts of bacteria in the water, and when the plant is in this kind of environment for a long time, the roots cannot get enough nutrients and are very prone to rotting.
II. How to Handle Pothos Root Rot
Now that we know the causes of pothos root rot, below we will introduce how to handle it. In fact, pothos has fairly strong vitality, and most of the time there is no need to dig it out to deal with the problem. In the care that follows, just pay more attention: ensure the temperature is suitable, water in the right amount, keep the water clean, and spray chemicals at the right time to disinfect and sterilise. Basically there will not be any major problem.
However, if the root rot of the pothos is relatively serious, Qinnong Web suggests here that you need to deal with it seriously. The specific handling method should be chosen according to the different cultivation methods.
1. Soil-grown pothos
Usually, root rot in soil-grown pothos is caused by waterlogging. In this case, by no means use the original soil again. You need to prepare new soil for the pothos; you can add more large-particle soil such as peat. Use scissors to cut off the rotted roots of the pothos, rinse them clean with clear water, and after they dry, replant them.
2. Water-grown pothos
If water-grown pothos has root rot, then the grower must not have taken proper care of it and certainly has not changed the water for a very long time. The roots of such pothos will gradually turn to mush, and there will also be a bad smell. Fortunately, pothos has strong vitality. At this point, take the pothos out and cut off the rotted parts. In addition, be sure to wash the bottle clean and disinfect it while you are at it. Change the water and start water culture again.
If the root rot of the pothos really has reached the point where it cannot be saved, then you can only discard the original plant and select a relatively good branch and leaf to propagate by cuttings again.
The above is what Qinnong Web has brought you regarding the causes of pothos root rot and how to handle it. We hope it can be of some help. As the “flower of life”, pothos can grow very well as soon as it meets water, and it truly is a very easy green plant to grow. When growing it, friends, be sure not to be lazy and ruin such a fine potted plant.