05/01/2026
Being able to identify root rot in your plants is key for keeping your plants healthy long term! Root rot can be caused by many things like overwatering, under-watering, soil not having enough oxygen, etc. Identifying root rot is easier than expected and Iām going to explain a few ways you can spot it pretty quickly!
In the photos above, the leaf to the left is clearly a lot smaller than the leaf to the right. The leaf on the left is an older leaf meaning that one should be the bigger one. Plants with root rot produce smaller leaves overtime signaling that some kind of issue is happening. If the leaves arenāt getting smaller, other things to look for to identify root rot are leaves whittling consistently, leaves turning yellow, strong odors coming from the roots itself, etc. I treated this plant by trimming any rotted roots then putting hydrogen peroxide in a bucket mixed with water and soaking the plant in it for a few minutes. I made more airy soil (extra perlite, so water drains through easier) and repotted the plant. It may take your repotted plant some time to throw a new leaf but once it does, the sizing of the leaf should be back to normal. If the new leaf or plant experiences any of the issue that I already named off, thereās still rot on the roots.
In the first picture, the leaf on the right is the brand new leaf which is a lot bigger and will soon harden off to a brighter green. The root rot treatment worked and we are all back to normal!
