What to Do About Root Rot in Nasturtium? Cause Analysis and Treatment Methods

How to deal with root rot in nasturtium: beheading and cuttings. For nasturtiums whose root rot is severe and has already caused leaves to turn yellow and drop, or that have already begun to wilt, you can try beheading and cuttings to re-cultivate the plant.

Nasturtium is a plant of the family Tropaeolaceae and the genus Tropaeolum, a perennial semi-trailing or prostrate plant. The plant height is 30cm-70cm. The basal leaves have long petioles, and the leaf blades are pentagonal, ternately parted, with the secondary segments bearing a few small lobes and sharp teeth. The flowers are solitary or in cymes of 2-3 flowers, with five petals and 8-19 sepals, yellow, elliptic-obovate or obovate, the petals equal in length to the sepals, narrowly linear. In southern China it can be grown as a perennial; in North China it is mostly sown in autumn and grown indoors in pots, as a spring-welcoming flower, made to bloom during New Year's Day and the Spring Festival.

Analysis of the Causes of Root Rot in Nasturtium

1. Waterlogging

Nasturtium, as its name suggests, is not suited to living in water. When there is too much water, there is less oxygen, and the roots cannot carry out normal respiration, so they slowly rot.

Especially after flowering, too much water easily makes the roots damp and rot.

2. Excessive Fertilizer

Fertilizer for any flower or vegetable must not be applied at too high a concentration, nor in excessive amounts at one time. Although fertilizer can promote plant growth, it is also human intervention.

Letting nature take its course inevitably brings many unexpected twists and turns, but too much and excessive intervention will not necessarily make nasturtium grow better, and may even have the opposite effect.

What is meant by overdoing it? Applying too much fertilizer to nasturtium is overdoing it.

How to Deal with Root Rot in Nasturtium

1. Excision

Cut away the rotten parts, wash the roots, and after the cut has healed, repot and transplant.

After repotting, be sure to drench the pot with carbendazim to prevent the roots from rotting again.

2. Beheading and Cuttings

For nasturtiums whose root rot is severe and has already caused leaves to turn yellow and drop, or that have already begun to wilt, you can try beheading and cuttings to re-cultivate the plant.

Understanding the Habits of Nasturtium

It likes a mild climate and cannot tolerate severe cold or intense heat. The suitable growing temperature is 18 to 24°C. It can endure short periods of 0°C. It likes warmth and humidity, and the overwintering temperature should be above 10°C. It does not bloom easily during high summer temperatures, and growth is inhibited above 35°C. It needs ample light in winter, spring and autumn, and potted plants should avoid scorching sun exposure in summer.

Potted plants need loose, fertile, highly permeable growing soil; they like moisture and fear waterlogging.