How to save your dying plants when they've got root rot (2024)

Taking care of indoor plants can be hard, and despite thinking you're doing a fantastic job, you can turn around one day to find one of yours looking sad and well, on the verge of death.

For the more experienced plant parents you might pull the plant out of its planter to find the roots are dark and mushy, thanks to too much water.

A plant with rotten roots may seem like something that is too hard to deal with, but if you want to fix it it's not that hard, and you might already have what you need at home.

Before you throw the plant out, reach for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, which you might have floating around at the back of one of your bathroom cabinets.

Turns out it can work wonders on a sick plant.

RELATED: What you need to know about overwatering your plants

The way it works is the chemical in hydrogen peroxide kills the bacteria that causes root rot in plants and breaks down into the soil to release extra oxygen to encourage the growth of healthy, new roots.

Don't just pour it in and hope for the best, you do need to dilute it first. Mix one part of 3 per cent hydrogen peroxide into two parts water — you can do this in a watering can or spray bottle.

There are two ways you can use this mix to try and save your sick plants.

Remove the plant from the pot

First, gently remove the plant from the pot and try and remove as much of the soil as you can from around the roots. Once the roots are completely exposed, pour the hydrogen peroxide mix over the root ball. Repot the plant in a planter with new, damp soil. Let the soil dry out completely before watering the plant again.

Water in place

Let the soil dry out completely in the planter, then water it thoroughly with the hydrogen peroxide mix. Repeat this process until you start to see your plant getting better. But if you're really not sure if it's working, you can pull the plant out of the pot and check. Healthy roots are firm and a white colour, which is what you want to see in your plants.

You can also use this same mixture to disinfect potting mix or soil prior to planting.

If you're guilty of overwatering your plants, this is a great trick to have on hand for next time you go a bit too hard on the water.

What is root rot?

Root rot usually happens when a plant has been overwatered without proper drainage.

The soil can sometimes become compact, which stops it from draining properly and can starve the plant roots, leading to root rot.