Root rot is a nasty plant visitor that none of us love but we often have to face it at one point. You’re taking the best possible care of your dear spider bud, only to see leaves yellowing and stems welting.
With a little research, you suspect it’s root rot. The expression is a little eerie, but you’ll be happy to know that there’s plenty you can do to treat and prevent root rot. Let’s have a look.
How to Identify Root Rot
Proper identification is paramount when dealing with root rot because the treatment involves cutting off parts of the root. You don’t want to end up cutting healthy parts and jeopardizing the health of your spider plant.
There are two approaches you can take: one by examining the leaves, and the other by examining the roots.
The Leaves
Root rot renders the roots unable to absorb water and minerals properly from the soil. Despite meeting your spider plant’s water, fertilizer, and soil needs, you’ll still notice yellow or pale-colored leaves. The stems will also welt and the leaves may end up falling.
The Roots
Healthy roots have a whitish or cream-colored appearance. They’re also firm and hard to tear compared to rotten roots. On the other hand, rotten roots are dark-colored, mushy, and easy to tear. They often smell like decay.
Note: You won’t see the roots clearly unless you remove the plant from its pot. To do that, cut between the side of the pot and the soil using clean pruning shears. Don’t be aggressive to avoid damaging the roots, as your target is to only loosen the plant.
Saving Your Spider Plant From Root Rot
Okay, so it’s indeed root rot. That unmistakable decay smell and mushy roots confirm it. The good news is, it’s often not too late. Your goal now is to cut off the infected roots to allow the healthy ones to thrive. Here’s what to do:
1 – Remove the Plant From the Pot
You’ve mostly done this step by now as part of your examination. So we won’t go into further details. The only extra note is that the tool you use to loosen and remove your plant from the pot should be different from the one you’ll use to remove the infected roots.
This is because root rot is a fungal infection that can linger on tools (and hands too!). So make sure to wear gloves and use different tools for the process. If you’re stuck with one tool, clean it using an aseptic solution after you’re done de-potting your spider plant.
2 – Remove the Infected Parts
Start by removing the infected parts by grabbing them with your hands. The mushy structure will make this process fairly easy, but if the roots are dry, try this step under a weak water stream from your tap.
You’ll typically find many roots with healthy origins and rotten ends. Don’t remove the entirety of these roots, only remove the infected parts. At the healthy/infected junction, use your clean shears to cut half an inch off as a safety margin toward the healthy root to prevent recurrence.
3 – Change the Soil
While you can save the plant, there isn’t much you can do about the soil, as it’s too infected for any plant to grow in now. So, go ahead and safely dispose of the soil in a sturdy trash bag.
4 – Replant
Mix and prepare fresh soil, and prepare for replanting. We highly recommend using a different pot for this step, but if you currently have only one, then wash it thoroughly with plant-safe soap and water.
To replant, place a few scoops of your fresh soil in the pot’s base, then hold your treated plant from its strongest stem. Lower it down to have the roots contact the soil, then start adding more soil until it’s fixed in place. Voila!
Preventing Root Rot
You saved your precious spider plant from root rot. It wasn’t fun. You don’t want it to happen again. So, let’s discuss why root rot happens, to begin with, and how you can prevent it.
Root rot happens when there’s too much stagnant water in your plant’s soil. This happens because:
- You water your plant a tad bit too much.
- The soil you use is too heavy and doesn’t drain excess water.
- The pot you use doesn’t have drainage holes.
The one common aspect among these three factors is that water stays around the plant’s roots long enough for a fungal infection to start and cause the rot.
Fortunately, prevention is often easier than treatment. Start by learning the appropriate amount of water needed for spider plants (Spoiler: It’s done about once a week!).
As for the soil, use a well-draining potting mix. First-time plant owner? A well-draining potting mix of houseplant soil, perlite, and vermiculite. Use the following percentages:
- Houseplant soil: 40-60%
- Perlite: 20-40%
- Vermiculite: 10-20%
Lastly, make sure that your planting pot has drainage holes to drain extra water that we often add when we end up like: “Did I water my plant or not? Better add water just to be sure!”
Pro tip: Use the finger dip test if you’re not sure whether your spider plant needs water or not.
One last tip, don’t add rocks to the bottom of your pot. When extra water escapes from the pot, it lingers the longest in the bottom one-third of the pot.
Adding rocks pushes that lingering layer from the bottom one-third to the middle one-third, creating what’s known as the perched water table, and increasing the risk of root rot.
Final Thoughts
Root rot is an unwelcome visitor to all houseplants, and it results from the fairly common error of overwatering (which we’re all guilty of).
Fortunately, both the treatment and the prevention are within all of our abilities. Depot your plant, clean its roots, remove the infected ones, and repot with fresh soil.
Make sure that you know the water requirements, dip test if you’re unsure whether you need to water your plant, and don’t add rocks to the bottom of your pot. Your spider plant will thank you.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.