The Fiddle leaf fig has grown in popularity as an ornamental houseplant with its lush green leaves in recent years.
Like all other plants, Fiddle leaf figs are susceptible to many diseases, including root rot.
Healthy roots are firm and flexible.
If the roots in your Fiddle leaf fig appear mushy, soggy, decaying, and have a foul smell, the roots are probably rotting. Overwatering and soil with poor drainage are the major causes of root rot.
The growth of fungi or mold due to overwatering can lead to the rotting of roots, and if left untreated, it will eventually kill the plant.
By identifying the root rot in time and assessing its cause, you can salvage the plant by treating it.
Follow our guide to learn how to fix root rot in Fiddle leaf fig!
Symptoms of Root Rot in Fiddle Leaf Fig!
If you want to know how to fix root rot in Fiddle leaf fig, it is essential to know root rot symptoms.
That way, it’ll be caught and treated before it is too late to save the plant.
Root rot is caused when the plant is overwatered or has poor soil drainage. The excess water facilitates the growth of organisms in the soil, including fungi, mold, and bacteria.
Root rot will drastically affect the plant and will kill it eventually.
Therefore, it is essential to look out for symptoms and treat them.
Brown Leaves
One symptom of root rot includes the browning of leaves.
The leaves will start showing brown or black spots, usually starting from the base of the leaves and spreading from there toward the middle and then the tips of the leaves.
Note: Other diseases may also cause browning leaves; therefore, to confirm the root rot, you must examine the roots.
Mushy and Decaying Roots
If you suspect rooting roots, then the best strategy is to inspect them.
Carefully unpot the plant and examine the roots. If they are dark, soggy, mushy, or have a foul smell, they are decaying.
Yellow and Droopy Leaves
When the roots suffer from rot, the plant leaves will start drooping and yellowing. Rotting roots cause it as they cannot carry water and nutrients to plants.
Related article: Why Is My Fiddle Leaf Fig Dying? | 6 Mistakes to Avoid!
If you notice all these signs in your plant and diagnose root rot, treating it as soon as possible is vital to save the plant.
How to Fix Root Rot in Fiddle Leaf Fig? | 4 Steps Guide!
If you suspect and diagnose root rot in your plant, then don’t worry! You can still salvage your plant by acting fast.
Follow our elaborate instructions on how to fix root rot in Fiddle leaf figs and save the plant.
1. Uproot the Plant
The first step of saving your Fiddle leaf fig from root rot is to uproot and unpot the plant.
- After uprooting the plant, you need to clean the roots.
- Wash the roots thoroughly under running water to clean off the excess soil and the decaying parts.
- After the roots are clean, you can quickly identify the rotting roots from the healthy ones.
As I mentioned, just look for soft, mushy, dark brown, or black roots.
2. Cut off the Rotting Roots and Leaves
After cleaning the roots,
- Take a sharp knife or scissors and prune the leaves showing signs of damage.
- Similarly, cut off the rotting roots.
- Cutting these parts off will stop the damage and prevent it from spreading further.
The decaying parts will suck away nutrients from the plants, hindering their growth and healing.
Getting rid of the damaged parts will allow the plant to redirect its energy and nutrients toward new growth.
While pruning the plant, don’t get carried away. Remember not to cut more than 30% of your plant’s foliage.
Cutting back too much of the vegetation will kill the plant.
3. Clean the Roots with Hydrogen Peroxide
After washing the roots and cutting off the parts, the fungus might still be lingering.
The roots need to be treated with a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution to eradicate the traces of fungus and other organisms. It will ensure that the fungus does not attack the new growth or the remaining plant again.
- To treat the roots and kill off any bacteria, fungus, or mold, prepare a hydrogen peroxide solution by diluting it with water.
- Mix 3% hydrogen peroxide with water and prepare a solution with a ratio of 1:2.
- Add this solution to a water spraying bottle.
- Spray it thoroughly on the plant and the pot to disinfect them and kill the fungus.
To treat the plant, you can also use a mild fungicide instead of a hydrogen peroxide solution.
While using a fungicide, be sure to read the label for instructions.
To get a more elaborate and detailed guide on treating root rot in general, read this article.
4. Repot the Plant in New Soil
Once the rotting roots have been cut off and the plant is treated with the hydrogen peroxide solution, it is safe to repot the plant.
Ideally, it would help if you bought a new potting mix as the old potting mix will contain remnants of fungus that might attack the roots again, causing root rot.
Buy a good-quality potting mix with good drainage so it does not cause waterlogging. Use a pot with drainage holes at the bottom so the excess water can drain out of the pot instead of standing in the soil.
If you use a fresh potting mix to repot but are still using the old container, it is best to disinfect it properly. Clean the pot with bleach and let it sit for 20 minutes before washing it off.
After washing the bleach, spray the pot with the hydrogen peroxide solution before adding the potting mix. It will ensure that all the remaining parasites are dead and will not reproduce again.
After cleaning the pot, add the fresh potting mix, repot the plant, lightly water it, and continue taking care of it as usual.
Just avoid overwatering the plant! Your Fiddle leaf fig will be good and growing in no time.
That’s all for today!
Conclusion
We understand how heartbreaking it can be watching your plants die after nurturing them for months.
But it isn’t always necessary for the plant to die.
You can salvage the plant if the disease is caught early and treated correctly. If you see root rot symptoms in your Fiddle leaf fig, don’t worry!
Follow our instructions and helpful tips on how to fix root rot in Fiddle leaf figs and revive your plant.
Share your queries with our experts in the comments below.
Regards!