Aglaonema root rot has only two main reasons, one of which is overwatering of the plant and the other is using inappropriate soil to keep Aglaonema. Caring for Aglaonema is easy, and with very little knowledge, you can keep all kinds of its species (Aglaonema Silver Bay, Aglaonema Pictum Tricolor) at home. This plant has countless fans because of its attractive foliage and easy care.
In addition, stay with us on the thehplants site to examine all the reasons for root rot and the loss of Aglaonema together and provide practical solutions to treat this problem. Read Why Aglaonema Leaves Drooping and How To Save A Dying Aglaonema.
What are the causes of Aglaonema root rot?
Aglaonema can suffer from root rot due to overwatering, improper drainage, fungal disease, use of improper and heavy soil, and bacterial infection, which we will examine each case together.
The first case is Overwatering of Aglaonema.
As we mentioned earlier in the article Aglaonema Yellow Leaves, if you see that the plant’s lower leaves turn yellow one by one and then fall, Do not doubt that the cause of your Aglaonema’s root rotting was due to excessive plant watering; in such a situation, you should act immediately and take constructive action to revive your plant.
The best way to water Aglaonema is to moisten all parts of the soil well during watering and immediately stop watering the plant as soon as the excess water comes out of the bottom of the pot.
Besides the mentioned point, the best time to water Aglaonema is when 1 inch of the soil surface in the pot has dried. It is better to check the moisture level of the soil surface of the plant every two days to water your plant only when needed (although it is difficult to check the moisture level of the soil surface constantly, there is no other way to keep the stability of the plant).
Improper soil causes Aglaonema root rot.
The second factor that can cause Aglaonema root rot is heavy soil; if the soil does not pass water well or store a lot of moisture, your plant’s roots will eventually rot; This is why it is said to use light soil for the growth of this plant in the pot.
To be able to test the soil of your pot, pour water on the soil, and if the water remains on the soil of your pot for more than 20 to 30 seconds and does not absorb into the soil, it shows that the soil of your pot is heavy and you need to change the soil.
If the plant needs to change the soil to treat Aglaonema root rot, it is suggested to use a mixture of cocopeat, peat moss and perlite as a substitute for the current soil of the plant.
Improper drainage of soil and pots
If, after watering the plant, excess water does not come out from under the pot, it means that either the soil is heavy or the pot does not have proper drainage, so first check the holes in the bottom of the pot. The accumulation of water at the bottom of the pot will eventually show signs of overwatering the plant and will cause your Aglaonema root to rot. To solve this issue, open the holes at the end of the pot with a nail, and if your pot does not have holes, make sure to create a hole for it.
Aglaonema root rot fungal infection
Aglaonema, like other houseplants, can be susceptible to fungal infections such as Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora, the main cause of which is overwatering and high soil moisture. For treatment, you must use a fungicide; the fungicide period is once every 14 days. At the same time, after the mushrooming of the plant, be sure to reduce the amount of watering and soil moisture.
Aglaonema bacterial infection
Bacterial infections can also cause root rot in Aglaonema. The most common pathogens that cause disease and decay in Aglaonema are Erwinia and Pseudomonas; these bacteria enter the plant through the wounds in the stem and cause it to rot.
Aglaonema root rot symptoms?
Maybe this question has occurred to you How do I know if my Aglaonema has root rot? Next, we will examine the signs together:
Yellowing of Aglaonema leaves: one of the main symptoms that appear before Aglaonema root rot becomes severe. The yellowing of Aglaonema leaves is that you should check the plant well when you see this sign, when the roots of the plant are damaged, it cannot deliver water and nutrients to the leaves well, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow. Be sure to read the article on the yellowing of leaves of houseplants.
Wilting of Aglaonema: Another symptom of Aglaonema root rot is the wilting of leaves. If your plant receives enough water but still suffers from root rot, it is a sign of the loss of roots, which does not deliver enough nutrients to the leaves.
Bad smell of the soil: When the plant’s root suffers from a fungal or bacterial disease and the roots rot, a bad smell is created, and the plant must be treated immediately.
Shade and browning of the stem and roots: If you feel that your plant’s roots have rotted, be sure to remove the plant from the pot and check the roots. If they turn black or brown, you should remove the damaged parts and re-root the plant in water or soil.
How to save aglaonema from root rot?
If the number of yellowed leaves of the plant (lower leaves) is more than 3, to treat aglaonema root rot, it is suggested to remove the plant completely from its pot and prune the unhealthy roots to the healthy point. (Be careful not to damage the roots when removing the plant).
After completing the previous step, disinfect the healthy roots (remaining roots) and pot soil with carbendazim fungicide and then plant your plant in its pot with the same depth as before.
On the other hand, if, as we mentioned, the pot’s soil is not of good quality (that is, the problem is not due to irrigation but due to the quality of the soil). You do not need to disinfect the potting soil. Replacing it and fungicidal the healthy roots is enough to revive the plant.
On the other hand, if the number of yellowed leaves of the plant is less than 3, there is no need to remove the plant from its pot, and as long as you water it at the right time and in the right way, your plant will be revived (of course, if the problem is from watering and not from the pot’s soil).
If you have changed the soil and noticed root rot, water the next two times with a fungicide.
What to do if the rate of aglaonema root rot is high?
In this case, it is better to remove the plant from the pot and remove the rotten parts from it. If there are fewer roots left for the plant, place the plant in water or perlite to re-root and then transfer to the soil.
Summary of Aglonema root rot
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the main reason for Aglaonema root rot is due to overwatering , improper drainage and the selection of heavy and infested soil. What experience or questions do you have about this plant? Be sure to ask in the comments.