How to deal with root rot in clivia? Apply potassium permanganate to the wound, let it dry, and disinfect

Clivia is a herbaceous plant that many people keep at home to purify the air while also enjoying its ornamental value, killing two birds with one stone. But we often find clivia suffering from root rot. What causes this, and how do we deal with clivia root rot?

I. 3 steps to deal with clivia root rot

Clivia root rot is indeed a particularly headache-inducing problem for many flower growers, and there are many causes of it. External factors such as soil and water amount can all be solved by controlling water and changing the soil, so how should we best deal with roots that have already rotted?

1. Take out the entire plant

When growing clivia at home, if you encounter root rot, do not just throw the whole plant away, as there are still ways to save it. First take the clivia with root rot out of the soil and cut off the roots, and here, to ensure its root system is not broken, it is best to break the pot soil and gently take the clivia out.

2. Clean up the rotted root areas

Then rinse the roots clean with clear water, evenly apply a potassium permanganate aqueous solution to the wounds on the clivia roots, wrap the leaf parts entirely with white paper towels, leave the roots exposed outside, and put it in the sun to dry for half an hour, first killing the pathogens.

3. Plant in new soil

After completing the above steps, we can replant it in fresh soil, and at this time the soil is best disinfected first. So how often should the clivia be watered at this time? This issue really needs attention: within the first half month after planting, the water amount must be controlled, and water as little as possible. After one and a half months, it can be cultivated according to normal care methods.

II. The 3 most common situations of clivia root rot

Now that we know how to deal with clivia root rot, we should also analyze which causes lead to root rot and their solutions. There are many causes of clivia root rot, for example excessive fertilizer, unsuitable soil, and waterlogged potting soil can all lead to clivia root rot. So in the process of growing clivia, we must master the care methods for clivia. Then what should be done about clivia root rot caused by these reasons?

1. Excessive fertilizer

Just like with the care of most plants, excessive fertilization very easily causes fertilizer to burn the roots of clivia, and then root rot occurs. After the roots rot, the leaves cannot absorb nutrients either, so the whole plant will slowly turn yellow and wither.

Solution: If root rot is caused by excessive fertilizer, then first we must remove the roots that have already rotted, so as to avoid continuing to affect the whole plant. Then in the usual fertilization process, we must pay attention: apply thin fertilizer frequently, and if you are afraid of applying too much, you can dilute the fertilizer with water before applying it.

2. Unsuitable soil

Soil is the most basic condition for a plant's survival. If the soil is not breathable, is alkaline, or is compacted, all of these can cause clivia root rot. As with the root rot symptoms caused by many factors, the leaves also turn yellow.

Solution: If the soil is unsuitable, then we change the soil. The soil suitable for clivia growth must have good breathability, be loose, and be rich in organic matter. So we can choose different substrates such as leaf mold, garden soil, pond mud, compost soil, plant ash, and river sand to make soil for growing clivia.

3. Waterlogged and non-breathable potting soil

Root rot in clivia caused by waterlogged and non-breathable potting soil is the most serious situation, and this situation is most likely to occur in summer and autumn and during the rainy season. In summer and autumn, some flower growers think the weather is too hot, so they water the clivia heavily, or during the rainy season too many raindrops fall into the potting soil, but the potting soil's breathability is poor, which leads to water accumulation, and if we do not deal with it in time, root rot will occur.

Solution: Therefore, in summer and autumn we must pay attention to the method of watering clivia, and absolutely do not water blindly just because the temperature is high. We can follow the method of watering thoroughly without leaking, that is, water thoroughly when dry, but make sure it is not too much. If water leaks from the bottom of the pot, then the water amount is too much.