The leaves may look dull first. When they turn yellow, they may also begin to wilt. [2] X Research source Yellow leaves can also be a sign of underwatering, though typically they’ll curl and droop if it needs water. Plus, the soil will be dry.
Disease, drought, and crowding can also cause branches to die off.
You may want to gently dig up a plant you think is affected. The roots will be brown and mushy if they have root rot.
In trees, you may see this under the bark near the base of the plant. Sometimes, the fungus will form inverted “Vs. " Other times, it may move to the exterior of the bark, discoloring it or causing it to weep liquid. [6] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U. K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source
You’ll also be able to see other signs of root rot, such as brown stems and leaves. [8] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source If the roots look healthy, put it back in its pot and cover the roots back up with soil.
Keep track of what percentage of the roots you’re cutting off. Just estimate; it’s not a science!
Make sure to leave some healthy leaves behind so your plant can still get the sunlight it needs.
To disinfect a pot, make a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Put the clean pot in the mixture to soak for 10 minutes (at least). Rinse out the bleach thoroughly when you’re done. [12] X Research source
Make sure to scrub the pot down with soap and water and then disinfect it before using it again.
Opt for potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or ammonium nitrate over urea.
Make sure not to get too close to the plants, as that will slice off the ends of roots, which is the opposite of what you want to do. Go down the middle of the row to avoid the roots. Sometimes, it helps to do this twice in a row with about 5-10 days in between.
This will help the roots near the top dry out and hopefully recover from root rot.
Be careful when removing the soil, as you don’t want to damage the roots.
It’s best to just avoid the chemicals and start over next year if you need to.
Make sure to toss these plants in the trash so they can’t infect other ones.
For instance, try plants like lilies, mints, ornamental grasses, daffodils, anemone, or black-eyed Susans, just to name a few.
This is especially an issue if you have a heavy soil type, such as clay.
You can find kits to make raised beds online, but you can also make your own out of planks of wood, bricks, or any number of other materials. You can even use things like old wine crates for a garden bed.
You’ll need to work this material in throughout the year, as microorganisms will continue to compost it. [26] X Research source
Core aeration is where you pull out small plugs of soil and replace them with an inorganic material. The process helps create lighter soil. You may need an aeration tool for this process. To use one, just press the hollow points of the tool into the ground, and it will pull out small plugs of soil for you.
For resistant plants, try geraniums, marigolds, sweet potato vine, ferns, aster, mint, or ornamental grasses. Try to rotate the plants out every year.
