Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
kieran_francis

Help my jade plant i think has root rotted and is dying quick

7 years ago

i just got this plant not to long ago i had it planted in this bigger pot that it came in and was careful to water it and decided to move it into a new green pot and watered it a hefty amount and then the next day while i was spraying my other plants i watered it again can i cut it? and have new roots grow?

Comments (5)

  • 7 years ago

    Yes, you can cut. Feel the stem. Is it squishy? You will want to cut the stem back until you reach healthy tissue (start at the roots, of course). I see some brown on the stem. I would start cutting there, and work up. Keep cutting until you reach tissue with no black or brown. You want creamy white-green.

    After you finish cutting, dust with cinnamon to discourage disease and rot. Let the cut stem sit out of soil for a few days (in a dry, dim, cool place). the cut end will feel rough and hard (not moist or juicy).

    Put it in new DRY soil. I would suggest using 60% perlite and 40% cactus and succulent mix. wash the perlite to get out the dust. Don't breathe in the dust, either- it is harmful to the lungs.

    Prop up the stem in the soil with rocks, so it stays upright. In a few weeks, you should see roots :) Don't check often for roots, or you may break existing ones. It is best to wait until you see new growth, and then you can water a bit.

    The soil you have in the picture looks like it has a large contingent of peat. Peat holds water for a long time, and that rots the roots. By doing the above mix, you can avoid rot, but still be careful with watering. To check if you need to water, you can use a wooden skewer. Poke it into the soil, and if it comes out dry, you can water.

    Good luck!

    ~palmsandsnow

    Kieran Francis thanked mesembs
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    ..."move it into a new green pot and watered it a hefty amount and then the next day while i was spraying my other plants i watered it again"...this could cause rotting

    Small plant - doesn't need pot; big pot=lots of soil, bigger chance of overwatering.

    Too much water - succulents need to be in a mix that dries out between watering. How often - it depends where the plant is (temps, amount of light...)

    Soil seems to be containing too much peat - try using mix of cactus&succulent soil with at least 50% of perlite.

    I can't tell if it rotted - lower part of stems is dark but may or may not be rotting. If soft, cut it off, make sure you use clean knife/blade and wipe between the cuts (use rubbing alcohol or at least hot water to sterilize). Let the cut stem callus for a while, then stick into dry mix and do not water for a while.

    If stem is not rotting, wash off all the soil from the root ball and repot into new mix.

    I see that palms posted as I was typing - essentially same advice...

    Kieran Francis thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • 7 years ago

    Thank you so much i shall hopefully be succesfull

  • 7 years ago

    Update* just as i was about to cut it it literally fell in half just above where the rotted stem is and now theres a healthy bottom with a little orange thing


  • 7 years ago

    Could you take a picture of the stem so we can see the whole snapped portion? It looks healthy from this angle, but it would be nice to know for sure.