What to Do When a Bishop's Cap Cactus (Astrophytum myriostigma) Has Root Rot? Detailed Explanation of Causes and Treatments

1. Caused by soil that is too wet

Many people feel that they only gave it a little bit of water, so why is it still suffering from root rot? That is because the soil for the Bishop's Cap Cactus may have been chosen incorrectly. It prefers soil with somewhat good drainage and relatively strong aeration. If the soil does not drain or aerate well, it will easily cause its root system to start rotting. So at this point we need to repot it with new soil, and we must find some soil with somewhat better aeration and somewhat better drainage, ideally calcareous sandy loam. Then we can place a small piece of tile over the small hole at the bottom of the flower pot, which can make the drainage effect somewhat better, so the root rot phenomenon will no longer easily appear.

2. Caused by too much fertiliser

We generally fertilise it especially heavily in order to let it grow somewhat faster, but we do not realise that if too much nitrogen fertiliser is applied or the fertiliser is not decomposed, this will easily cause its roots to rot. So when fertilising it, the amount must be appropriate and must not be too much. During its growing season, a little more can be appropriately added, but after autumn begins or in winter, it is fine to fertilise less or not at all.

3. Caused by insufficient light

The Bishop's Cap Cactus prefers a somewhat warm and dry environment, and it is also relatively drought tolerant. So its demand for sunlight is very great. Therefore, if it develops root rot, you should check whether the place where it is kept is too dark, because this makes it unable to absorb enough sunlight and can easily cause root rot. So at this point we need to move it to a place with relatively abundant sunlight and let it absorb enough sunlight, so the root rot phenomenon will not easily appear again. Therefore, light is also very important to it.

4. Caused by too much watering

The Bishop's Cap Cactus must not be watered too frequently. If it is watered too much, it will also easily be more than its roots can absorb, and water accumulation will easily cause root rot. So in summer, generally once a week is enough, and the amount of water should be determined by looking at the size of the pot. In winter, it is also fine not to water it for a month. It is better for it to be a bit drier than too wet.