The Shocking TRUTH About Root Rot Most People Get Wrong

The ultimate guide to what root rot is, why it happens and how you can stop it.
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#rootrot #indoorplants #houseplantcare

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Get exclusive bonus content at www.patreon.com/sheffieldmadeplants

[@PutsOnSneakers]

So it's not an issue in Africa and Australia ? okay alright...

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

@@PutsOnSneakers please elaborate?

[@PutsOnSneakers]

@@SheffieldMadePlants Intro 0:03 "The whole of America, Europe and Asia " as the summary went. They must of got super soil in Australia and Africa lol 😅

[@johnroekoek9864]

Is this nitrogen dioxide? Asked from Holland.

[@cezarcatalin1406]

Strong anti-fungal agents can work too. Also, having a healthy fungus competing with the rotting fungus can also be a natural way of preventing root rot. Some root symbiotic fungi (like truffles) even create their own anti-fungal toxins that prevent other fungi from attacking the roots. Also, for people who are too lazy to constantly water their plants, they just need a wick system that slowly sucks water from a bottom dish/pot. This is no good for succulents but those don’t need much watering anyways. One unusual but rather weak anti-rotting agent that I found out it works on more stuff than just orchids is literally just cinnamon powder.

[@Shadowsofthewolf]

I like to add hydrogen peroxide to my water at about 1 part peroxide to 10 parts water once a month to water my plants. It adds oxygen to my soil, kills bad fungus and gets rid of the fungus gnats while uncompacting the soil. I've also been experimenting with adding native mushroom mycelium to my plants it seems to out compete the fungus rot while forming a symbiotic relationship with the plants exchanging nutritients

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Ooo that's new to me, thanks for sharing.

[@Danko_HS]

"kills bad fungus" It also kills beneficial fungi and microbes and damages fine root hairs and root tips. Also 1:10 is way too diluted to have any effect.

[@midnull6009]

@@Danko_HS They said that they do it once a month. That's fine. As long as the good microbes outcompete the bad ones. I don't dilute the hydrogen peroxide if I need to give my plants and extra boost of oxygen. I just take the 3% and pour some into the pot, just being careful not to pour it directly onto the root system. Cuz the soil and the extra moisture dilutes it for me. Also, one one side of the pot.

[@Shadowsofthewolf]

@Danko I do agree with you on it killing good microbes bit I usually use my own compost from red wigglers as fertilizer.

[@miming3679]

What percentage is the hydrogen peroxide? 3%?

[@Yupppi]

Those tiktok comments make me think they have never been to nature near a river or seen a hydroponic system.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

I do understand the comments to be fair. It is a complicated subject and if you've never really given it much thought you might assume a plant can't live in a vase of water.

[@sekaiomiruhitokaminoyume5426]

it’s okay , you need to understand that it’s normal , every intp will tell you : the chaos particle make stupid things happen. They brain can’t compute sometimes, it’s hard to live with , but yes people are stupid 😢….

[@surgeinc1]

I’ve started repotting in clear nursery pots to watch the roots. Also adding a bit of charcoal to the mix.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Good idea 👍

[@TheSouthIsHot]

I love your message of devastation at the beginning.😄 A co-worker gave me the most beautiful orchid I had ever seen with beautiful pearl white blooms on two stems. Two weeks later, I watered it and let it drain. One week later, the blooms began to turn translucent and fall off. Then the leaves began to droop and turn yellow and fall off. I removed the orchid from its pot and discovered that the roots were JAM PACKED into a ball of moss with no room for air flow. Whoever sold that orchid suffocated it and then, when I watered it, I lit the match that ignited its sudden death!😭

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you. That’s sounds like a nightmare! Orchids need air flow the most? Did you save it?

[@TheSouthIsHot]

@@SheffieldMadePlants It very thoroughly died.😭

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

@@TheSouthIsHot gutted 😢

[@midnull6009]

yikes...I'm sorry for your loss. Orchid roots need oxygen and some, light, like phalaenopsis orchid. Cuz if you look at their roots, they're green. Meaning they produce photosynthesis and need to be exposed. I sometimes use hydrogen peroxide to give the root system extra boost of oxygen. It kills off most microbes too...bad and good too, unfortunately.

[@TheSouthIsHot]

@@midnull6009 Thank you for the tips! 🥰That's a good thought that orchid roots are green and is evidence that they need some light. I had not thought of that...🤔

[@888fluffy]

This is a really informative video. One little niggle though, There's some fear mongering about fungus here. There are a couple bad types of fungi that will attack your plant. However 90% of fungi is harmless and actually extremely beneficial. Plants in the wild grow symbiotically with fungi which improves their success rate immensely. We often have a much harder time with plants in captivity because we try to grow them in sterile conditions.

[@ericconnor8419]

Fungi in soil outside are fine because they can achieve a balance, fungi indoors in pots is usually a problem it is a very unnatural environment, that is why you have to be so clean and tidy in greenhouses.

[@pamaha16]

Such a great video, thank you! I have lost 3 plants to root rot 😭 I'm a new plant parent. Learning lots!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You’ve got this ✊

[@yuukihinamori2310]

I agree that perlite can help to prevent root rot most of the time! Though perlite here is a bit more expensive, I would often use pumice instead. Works the same.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

💯

[@neonice]

Really? You should be able to find pretty cheap bags of perlite at hardware stores as house insulation, they're just sold under a different name.

[@shellym9504]

I've found that chicken grit is a superb low cost replacement for pumice. Look for it in the livestock feed isle. Its a well known "secret" in the Bonsai community. The grit is actually pebble sized pieces of granite that's mixed with chicken feed to aid in digestion. (Fun fact): Apparently chickens need grit to help them digest grain.

[@mettechristineolsen4286]

Your humor is great 😂 And your channel is growing incredibly fast, well done!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you Mette!

[@0anant0]

Nice info! But I have found out that after multiple waterings, perlite (and vermiculite) simply 'float' to the surface, leaving dense soil material behind. Also, how to deal with those three soil-borne fungi (for in-ground plants)?

[@ifmusicis]

Your advice is exactly what I was looking for! Simply helpful.Thank you so so so much 😊

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@innerjon]

Thanks for re-educating me, I used to know this information but somehow slowly swayed away. Watching your video made me realize my recent mistakes.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You bet!

[@JustJ0nathan]

I don’t think perlite alone is enough. The homemade mix I use for all my plants is 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite, and 2 parts orchid bark chips. I also mix a bit of horticultural charcoal, but it’s not necessary. This mix practically eliminates any risk of root rot. Be warned, you will be watering much more often with such an aerated mix, but your plants will develop strong roots and they’ll give you healthy foliage. Happy planting. 🙂🪴

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

That’ll work 👍

[@Stettafire]

I concur. Those growing in 100% perlite rely on heavy fertisers since the soil contains no nutrition.

[@esormada1568]

I'm just getting my bearings in plants. Do you use any soil at all or is this the entire medium?

[@JustJ0nathan]

@@esormada1568 All commercial indoor plant soils are actually just a mixture of mostly peat moss and some perlite. 🙂 I just buy peat moss alone because it’s cheaper. I’m in Canada, so I use the brand PRO-MIX, but any brand will do. It will also have added nutrients for your plants that should supply them with what they need for up to a few months. After that, I would add a liquid fertilizer for the growing season.

[@esormada1568]

@@JustJ0nathan I see! This is great info. I actually just picked up a beautiful *enormous* walking iris today from a really wonderful nursery and was chatting with the owner about her soil mix. She mentioned that she uses a ton of perlite, biochar, fox farms root/soil conditioner, and a bit of slow release fert. She also adds super small amounts of fertilizer to each watering. Her plants were absolute monsters! Haha. I appreciate the help. :)

[@indianb1918]

Great video. Thanks for the info.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@noraharris3857]

Great video very informative. keep up the good work. I seem to always have at least a few plants growing in water, I like to watch the roots grow and they look neat. I have been a plant mom for well over 30 years, I think you videos are educational. Now that my children are all grown up , I have more house plants than ever, lol. God bless you and yours.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

That's great, thanks Nora 😁

[@OldJoeBlows]

My kids are 21 and 19 now… it seems for every month they age, I get more plants. 🎉

[@bradstevens6885]

Very useful and well presented facts. Thank you. So some details weren't mentioned here: 1 - when the plant is placed in locations with periodical direct sunlight it helps the soil dry up naturally and faster thus preventing root rottening, 2 - it's rather unclear does the mixture of organic bark or simple peels encourage fungus appearance or it doesn't?(the over watered condition can be used as a base in the solutions for this question) ...some composts work well enough with slightly bigger pieces of wood in it instead of pebbles and or perlite crumbs giving the roots enough oxygen plus some additional organic ingredients, 3 - the issue of the type of pottery used for plant development. Do certain types of vessels affect the soil nutrients inside? Using the comparison of us as organic creatures being affected by the constant use through our dining time using plastic vs wooden or vs metal crockery compared to the way organic still life feeding itself in similar conditions.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you 😊

[@blissnow7547]

I enjoy your informative broadcasts so much!! Sending gratitude from NE Ohio, US

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Fantastic thanks very much

[@iseejewelz3874]

What an amazing video and couldn't have come at the perfect time. I'm noticing all that and I just potted some stuff . So THANK YOU

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Wonderful! My pleasure

[@AdindaQ]

extremely helpful. thank you!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

My pleasure 😊

[@umadeavi9838]

Your channel is very informative. Thank you

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you 👍

[@dorindafulton]

Great video as always 😊 Thank you for sharing this info ☺️🤗🥰

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for watching! 😁

[@austinmesta9862]

Very true. I've had a plant that still had root rot after I left the soil quite dry for weeks. Had to repot it with more drainage and aeration in the soil.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

💯

[@prettypothos4me290]

I transferred two syngoniums to water only and they are growing like crazy! I didn’t even use substrate.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Works a treat on some plants!

[@surimaribo24]

thank you for the amazing knowledge and clearing things up

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@missj9908]

Your intro was so funny 😂. Love your informative video. Keep up the good work 😊

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you Miss J

[@janetlentz7180]

I’ve found a moisture meter to be indispensable. It has really helped me keep my plants alive.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

💯

[@Clarachk]

Well, this is the oerfect accompaniment video for my morning activity at the kitchen sink….. root rinsing, trimming, peroxide, and water changing! The little windowsill over our sink is my propagation station… and it is full of prop’s in misc jam jars, shot glasses, and rx bottles. Lovely and console explanation of what is actually going on women roots start to rot! Thanks from a cross the pond!

[@Clarachk]

^^ Gosh, the mobile typos, lmao! And no way to edit them…. 🤪🤣

[@Clarachk]

Lovely and *concise Women… *when the

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Awesome thank you 😊

[@susanbrennan5511]

I recently repotted my ZZ. I repotted it once and learned that it doesn’t need water every week. It’s down to one stem but it seems to be happy. The things I’ve learned on this channel have helped me immensely. Thank you for sharing.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@susanbrennan5511]

My repotting ZZ has grown a sprout! I’m happy!

[@Floweenka]

Great tips as usual, my favorite planttube 💚

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you 😁

[@ericconnor8419]

Planting into compost can be fine for some larger plants that don't mind sitting in the wet, the main problem we have at the moment is the reduction of peat has led to most bagged composts being basically useless for anything apart from tomatoes, it is a sticky claggy mess of coir and green waste. If you want a cheaper alternative to perlite you can use 1:1 sharp sand, wash it first sometimes it has salt in. They changed the formula for John Innes. The original formula took years to develop, now they just seem to put anything vaguely brown in the bag. If you can get any old bags of JI 1 or JI seed/cutting buy it they are like gold dust, there is no substitute for a decent loam/peat mix.

[@sarahp.6595]

Thank you very much for the good video, I learned a lot about it. The one with the fungus was also completely new to me, sounds very plausible.😺👌

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks.

[@indianb1918]

Thanks. I used some sand and perlite and my geraniums are happy now.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Great stuff 👍

[@richardportelli1983]

Thank you! This is why I love self watering pots. Takes all the risk out. Water from the bottom and 90% of the soil is never sitting in water so oxygen is always around the rootball.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

I think they're useful too

[@djf8619]

I'm glad I came across this vid. Good info to know.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@casperinsight3524]

Gr8 advice ~ Much Appreciated 😘

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Lik3ToSing]

This is the best lesson for plant root i ve learnt

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks 😊

[@centralperks6458]

i am a big fan of your channel, this video made my day, thank you love from turkey❤🎉

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Awesome, thank you very much

[@jackiewhitney5031]

Sending lots of love and healing to all of Turkey at this time:))

[@centralperks6458]

@@jackiewhitney5031 thank you, you are a kind and thoughtful person. we almost lost 250k people at earthquake. i can barely eat this week. one of the sadest moments of my life. god bless you for your good thought😢❤️

[@tol4000]

Great video u flippin genius, watering from the bottom now, and guess what, I got the moisture meter thing...omg I love it, how did I live without it! Thanks a mill!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

That is awesome! Glad I could help 😁

[@kulturfreund6631]

Great advice. Thanks indeed. Cheers from Neukölln

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You bet!

[@juno5756]

if only i had checked youtubea couple of hours ago! my decade old peace lily has been going through it recently, and i wanted to repot it simply to get rid of a soil-surface mold problem, but discovered root rot as i was repotting it. if i had seen this beforehand, i would have known to pick up perlite while i was at the store!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Ah well you could always repot again

[@convictednotconvinced]

Water temperature is huge when keeping pant roots submerged. The dissolved oxygen level is greatly reduced with water temps above 70°F / 21°C. It also provides a nice warm incubator for anaerobic mayhem. The oxygen we're concerned about is dissolved O2 not the oxygen in the H2O molecule as the video suggests.

[@KarmasAbutch]

2:54 Lily Pond tho😂 natures giant jar of water… with plants!!

[@deborahmac1997]

Yes, an alarm went off. I need to repot several plants with new soil with the addition of perlite.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

👍👍

[@rickytorres9089]

Wonderful information on root rotting!! Explains on why fabric based pots popularity known as "grow bags" are so positive to plants and why it's very hard to overwater in those. Though I would NOT go with a "moisture meter" because they measure by salts. Instead a cheap skewer is a better "metering device". Just as you would check your car's oil levels. Pelites although effective, I prefers coconut coir since it's cheaper and more effective to source. Yes even for "seedlings" safe brands and varieties. As long as you go that route you don't need to worry about high salts/PH concerns.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thank you very much! I want to check out grow bags for the garden 👍

[@rickytorres9089]

@@SheffieldMadePlants Aww, you are so much very welcome and there nice options even for house plants too. If anything you can treat them as your plastic nursery pots and "hide" them. :)

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

@@rickytorres9089 👍

[@borjabecerraromero5828]

So high salts and high ph also causes root rot???

[@ibisman1593]

Great Video, I LIKE & have just Subscribed from down here in Australia. Good on Ya Mate.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Nice one mate! 😁

[@Ays536]

Very useful content thank you.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad it was helpful!

[@christopherstaples6758]

mine are fine submerged in aquaponic system , you just need well aerated water @10:25 save the time and just hide some air stone's in them

[@smack9835]

Another great video, now I have to check most of my roots. Thanks, no really thanks alot

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad to help. Thanks for watching 😁

[@sjain8111]

absolutely right, I use garden soil too often- so pearlite it is - thanks!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You bet!

[@mwatson4970]

Perfect 👌🏾 timing! I just this morning had my final fight with some spider plant props I'd moved to water some time ago and tried various things on including h2o2. Finally figured out that it was some kind of corm or bulb under their roots that had the main rot, not more roots needing pruning. So I snipped those parts off, cleaned the babies, and now no rot smell! Potted them back into 2" pots in soil and think they'll do fine now. Thanks for addressing this!!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Great job spotting it and getting rid!

[@screwyou2]

Great information!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for watching!

[@Amuserr]

Guys perlite isn't a sustainable solution. I use rice husk instead of perlite.

[@sadiingame42]

I also use rice husk

[@doctorprocter4225]

It can be hard to find for a decent price in some places. Like in a small town, it can get pricey if you have to get that shipped somewhere instead of going into the city to pick some up

[@sadiingame42]

@@doctorprocter4225 i have birds that eat rice and leave the husk so I don't have to buy it

[@tamihechtel8729]

@@doctorprocter4225try chicken grit

[@noora7773]

It's so weird that that some people assume hydroponics will kill the roots. Won't they never water-propagate?! My first hydroponics plant was a lucky bamboo in a vase with pebbles. Then when it had massive roots I transferred it to soil and it started to grow better and create side shoots. Now I have 20 lucky bamboos from that one cut flower I once received. It is a fun plant because you can make arrangements and the number of bamboos you have in a pot have some traditional symbolism. Lucky bamboo grows only vertically so it's a really good plant to fit into tight space. I just connect the bamboos with a rubberized tie so no extra support is needed. I find the bamboos creating a really interesting decor with the Asian vibes. Oh and they are REALLY easy and low maintenance.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Wow you’ve converted me. I’ll pick one up when I next see it

[@noora7773]

@@SheffieldMadePlants you can usually get those where you buy cut flowers like roses. Just stick it in a vase with water and rotate it because it wants to grow towards light. You can rip the lower leaves for a nicer look and always leave the top four. I’ve honestly left the water there for many weeks and nothing bad ever happened. If a stem has had yellowing I’ve just cut the bad part off and propagated it. Sealing the top cut with candle wax is optional, it just may look nicer. I’ve lucky bamboos growing in soil both in pots without holes and with holes and both work. Amazingly easy going plant😊

[@Yora21]

I think typically in commercial hydroponics, plants are not left submerged in water all the time. I believe they are kept in systems that can raise and lower the water level as needed quickly. With plants that typically grow in waterlogged conditions that should not be a problem. I know that reeds do and bamboo is closely related to them.

[@kbm4409]

I love the advice...along with other research and your obvious knowledge I follow many many of your tips..also, the advice is solid... question ⁉️ what are your thoughts on a Alocasia California plant surviving and thriving in only water?

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks Kim. I've not tried an Alocasia yet but it should work

[@scottmarsh2991]

Thank you!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You bet!

[@writegirl2937]

Great video, Sir Richard! 1). The first part was hilarious, and actually there is a lot of truth in it when you think about it!🤣 2). On another note - Have you heard of “dry root rot”? (I heard about it from a soil expect on YT). A few months ago, I lost my favorite Scindapsus Pictus Exotica because that ONE time, I waited too long to water it. (I was trying to not over-water it because over-watering has been my nemesis). But when I did water it, (after some of the leaves began to curl), I guess the roots went into shock and the plant died quickly. 3). As for fungus - I noticed some leaves on my snake plant were turning yellow and looking crinkly, but the soil was dry. And there were no inspects. After several weeks of this, I inspected the roots and found green fungus! I then soaked it in hydrogen peroxide, and not that plant lives in water in a clear vessel because I want to watch the roots. 4). I find moisture meters are unreliable although they are a good tool when combined with checking the soil with a finger or checking the weight of the pot. I still use one:-). Thanks for another helpful feature.🪴🪴🪴🧡

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks Golden! The intro was a bit dramatic 😅. That makes sense about the dry rot. I think I’ve got a similar thing going on with my snake plant. It was reduced so now I know why.

[@ruby11]

I had dry root rot happen to one of my smallish Monstera. Repotted after a really long time post-dry soil, into a very well draining mix. Wasn’t doing well after that, checked the roots and they’d all but disappeared leaving a few mushy bits to clean up. But it also had new healthy roots beginning from the aerials so it’s now in water where I can watch it. It’s been a few weeks and the plant has been happy as anything so I might just leave it in water permanently.

[@user-tk4ey1id5d]

Thank you my savior on my plants

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

My pleasure 😊

[@Fluffydoodly]

I'd have needed this video one week earlier kinda... I had a ficus losing loads of leaves. And the only idea I had now was to repot to a bigger pot, even though that's not recommended in winter. When I got the root ball out, it turned out to be stuck in stone hard soil 😅 definitely not a healthy situation

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Damn I should have released a week earlier 😁

[@anthosm]

Thx for the tip. I was given a gift of a peace lilly back when I was in the UK during the pandemic and for a year and a half it was thriving without me doing much with it over there. Then I brought it to my home country when I moved back and then for another year and a half I've been trying to save it from constant root rot. I thought last time I had saved it (I had kept it in water to check on the roots and disinfect with H2O2 weekly and it stabilized and even started growing new shoots) but when I re-transplanted back into soil a couple of months ago and it started rotting again.. :/ I only have a tiny slither of it left, and this plant has an immense sentimental value to me. I 'll try putting it back into water to stabilize it and get some perlite and hope for a miracle. :(

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Hope you get it back to full health 🤞

[@andreapelayo781]

Thank you for explaining. My monstera fell to pieces today😢 I’m grieving, deeply❤️‍🩹 but I learned a lot today 🙏

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad you found it useful 👍

[@firozapatel9811]

Great advise for root rot,my calathea queen produce brown leaf,thanks 😘

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for watching Firoza 😁

[@Noer04]

Vidio yang sangat bermanfaat thank for sharing

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for watching

[@easyyo6784]

this was a very good info. i have this problem with my parsely. gonna try it out and look if they get better.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You’ve got this ✊

[@vtmegrad98]

great info. better still, perfectly paced. So many content creators take 15 minutes to give 5 minutes of info.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

I appreciate that! I try to max out out on the value 😁

[@EdzCreationz]

I know nothing about planting n such, but my latest try coming up with a way to keep em alive for longer I added water"balls" at the bottom, they're small like a hole in a needle until they come in contact with water, they then over time absorb the water and gain 40x the size and sucking up leftover water and creating small pockets in the soil, and once the soil drys up they start loosing their water into the soil and shrink back into nothingness, dont know how effective they are really but I've managed to keep the plants alive for almost 2 years now, a record for me! :D

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Interesting idea thanks

[@mydogmyplantsandme]

I work in a greenhouse, I'm in charge of all the house plants and tropicals, and tell people to ONLY water the plants when the pot has dried 1/4 to 1/3 of the way rather than 1" to 2". One to two inches on a pot 8" or less is fine but a pot that is 10" or larger is going to end up getting over watered.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

So true!

[@mattyguy4286]

Eutrophication also takes a big part in the quality of the water

[@rachelshoemaker3561]

Those comments from putting your plants in water are hilarious! Internet scholars 🤣🤣🤣

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

They are!

[@martamanfrin5675]

Thanks for this! Gonna change some soil... 🙈😅

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You got this!

[@UnicornzAndLolipopz]

As a plant mad scientist I approve of this video. My many experiments show that moisture levels are irrelevant for most plants. I've tested the moisture levels on the soils for my citrus trees, aloe veras, and prickly pear cactus only to find that they're constantly a 10 on the moist scale with 0 problems. Granted I am using the best of both worlds; well draining compost is a big W. The only problem with welldraining compost is that the water demands for your plants increase over time, especially if it's a compost with multiple layers of life (I need help I got dem worms). Pls sir buy my dirt!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@borjabecerraromero5828]

What about worm hummus then? Could be right or wrong to use a bit of them when repotting succulents?

[@UnicornzAndLolipopz]

@@borjabecerraromero5828 Worm castings and juices are always yummy for the soil!

[@johncameron4194]

Good info

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks 👍

[@verreal]

Perlite is also a component of radioactive thermal insulation waste from nuclear power plants. So I'm rather afraid that it could have come from a dodgy source.

[@surgeinc1]

😵‍💫

[@Gyuri1015]

Since I discovered your channel, i invested in perlite, perlite propagating box, grow light, pruning shear!! I am loving this plants parent life! Thank you!!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Perlite is plant gold! Glad you’re liking the plant life 😁

[@chelseaclerke3582]

I find a mix of 20% perlite, 10% coconut husk (aka Coco coir used to keep the soil light and airy and for it's antibacterial and anti-fungal properties) and 70% potting soil and/or compost is perfect. I replace about 15% of the soil, not the whole mix, just the soil, with very coarse chunky sand for cacti, succulents, snake plants or anything that needs extra drainage or grows in barren desert climates. Just make sure the sand is very coarse and you rinse it until the water runs clear because it could have excess salt and minerals that will be too much for some plants. I also don't bother with much compost for succulents and cacti because they actually thrive on very few nutrients, I put in a very small amount, if any. Ever since I switched to these mixes my plants are thriving, especially the cacti, which I could never seem to keep alive before because clearly the roots couldn't breathe. Now when I water the water doesn't puddle and then slowly soak in, it soaks in immediately in the most satisfying way, that is what you want to see. However you will likely have to water more often and really give your plants a good long drink or bottom water since this soil will dry out faster.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Sounds like a good mix 👍

[@coryferguson1521]

So there have been studies on extracts derived with the use of coconut SHELLS having antibacterial or fungal properties. The extracts are made primarily with alcohol, but no studies I can find on the shredded husks containing those same properties. In fact many fungi are grown using coir as the substrate, so I wouldn't be so galavant about preaching coir as an antifungal medium for plants

[@UFDionysus]

One small correction: The oxygen part of the H2O molecule is not available for plants to use like they would dissolved oxygen gas.

[@Yora21]

Same thing with animals. Bogs are defined by being completely waterlogged with almost no dissolved oxygen in the water. Which is why anything submerged in them only turns black and doesn't rot. No oxygen for fungi and bacteria to get at work at them.

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

Hello, it's that one aquarium guy again 🤣 I try to find information about what plants can or can't be grown in water, and it's far to limited, considering quite a huge amount of plants can be grown aquaponically. So glad to see someone finally getting this dichotomy between oxygen and water. I actually find that most potting soil is too tight; Especially in winter months when pots really don't want to dry out. Btw, I subscribe to this youtube channel called Herons Bonsai, where this guy has a solution for bonsai or just plants in general that are just about dead for a variety of reasons, though mostly with soil/over-watering issues: Remove the pot, remove the vast bulk of the soil, re-pot in a very airy container like a cage or shallow crate using just long fiber sphagnum moss to replace the soil, and possibly topcoat that with a thin layer of peat moss so it doesn't dry out too quickly. Basically, the idea is to create as much aeration as possible while still retaining some moisture. I tried this on a syngonium in winter storage in a cool back room that I figured was effectively dead from what I assume was over saturation, and it came back to life.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Cool thanks for the recommendation. So is this method is basically propagating the plant again to regrow roots?

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

@@SheffieldMadePlants Kind of; But you still need some decent roots, or it will dry out, since the sphagnum should be wet, but not heavily saturated (this isn't like rooting a shoot in water, a closed high humidity container, or rooting a stem cutting without leaves). That said, if changing the substrate out to something much more airy helps, chances are, yes you've got a bunch of dead roots anyway. I've tried searching Heron's Bonsai for the video, but I can't find the thing.

[@WhatIsMisophonia]

@@SheffieldMadePlants Someone linked me to this video, which is not actually the video I was looking for, but Peter Chan does talk about the concept to an extent: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWS4l4armbOrZpI

[@itsMido2]

Every time he says PLAANT I drool a little🤤🤣

[@MarisaAndChew]

You "So you don't have Frankensteins plant on your hands" Me "That was such a tragic love story, I wonder if Richard has read it?" Me again "now I need to rewind bc I started to think about Frankenstein" :P

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

😂😂😂

[@pjuk]

The worst thing I find is places like B and Q may well sell plants cheaper than proper garden centres, but the trade off with this is the plants can often be on their way out. I've seen staff in there saturating all their succulent and cacti along with all the others. If I do get one from there because it's a bargain I repot soon as I get it home. Like you I add perlite to all soil mixes, and for succulents and cacti, also grit and bark. Seems to be working well so far. Moisture meter works well for tropical plants soil mix, only downside with these is they simply don't work on gritty mix will always show dry even after you've just watered it, I assume cos it can't conduct to move the meter. So watch out on those succulents, don't trust the moisture meter!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

These big box stores often have very wet succulents unfortunately. Interesting about the meter. I'll give that a test on my succulents this weekend

[@GreenSaxon]

I was always confused as to why i could place a philodendron in my aquarium and it would grow like mad but watering in a pot would rot its roots.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

👍👍

[@nemesis8626]

Terracotta pots can be beneficial too, allows the soil to breathe ans absorbs water also where plastic doesn't, only obvious downsise to terracotta is the price, also pumice can work even better than perlite, doesn't break down as easily and also is slightly better draining, but both can be used together also for great effects

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

For sure 👍

[@April-py3jc]

Thanks for a very informative video.... Can I repot or check roots as my extremely large spider plant as its roots are growing outside the pot as its potbound. There's also very little soil around it. I usually water it from underneath and for the last few weeks it's not taken in any or hardly any water. As its still quite cold in London was wondering if ok to repot now or to wait for warmer temps? Thanks!

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

You can repot any time of year so go for it. Sounds like it needs it 😅

[@glorianayeagley9258]

Very informative 👏 video. What are your feelings on spraying peroxide on root rot?~

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

I've not tried it myself but i've heard it does good things. It won't hurt anyway so give it a try.

[@noraharris3857]

Activated carbon keeps the water of plants growing in it to not get stagnant ,I use it in all the plants I grow in water. It works great. sometimes I just add water to the vase to top it off if I do not have time to change it and have never gotten stagnant water in those plants because of the activated carbon.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Cool, thanks for the tip 👍

[@fenrirgg]

Water alone can sustain the plant, but soil saturated with water can't because the organic material in soil will be consumed by microbes and fungus, and they consume the oxygen very fast. In plain water there is no big consumption of oxygen by the microbes. If the soil is very poor in organic material the root rotting can be diminished. Or also add a ton of perlite and materials that degrade very slowly like fibers.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for sharing

[@graceaxisa4213]

You didn't mention Australia in your intro! We're in turmoil too! 😂 Seriously though, I am so interested in this topic. I'll keep watching now! 🌿

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Oops 😬

[@graceaxisa4213]

@@SheffieldMadePlants 😂😂😂 it's ok! Your excellent video made up for it 👏🐨🤗

[@andresvaldevit3692]

I had 2 stupendous desert roses I kept in very low dish like vases that lived for almost 10 years and required very low maintenance. I recently changed the soil for the first time to a super drained one plus some perlite and they both died in a couple of months because of root rot 😩😩😩. It was my fault for the extra water during winter but I would have never changed that dirt, they really thrived in it.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Oh man that's rough

[@simpleuzer]

Absolutely agree because it’s logical😊

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

😁

[@superresistant8041]

I never had that problem

[@presbiteroo]

I've been wondering if adding a few worms from my compost into the plant plots would help with root rotting, as worms eat any dying matter as well as fungus.

[@Yora21]

Earthworms also do loosen up the soil very significantly, which makes a huge difference for drainage and ventilation of the soil. Earthworms are the gardener's best friend.

[@YukiTheOkami]

I had aome issues this winter also with mold so i startet to plant for plant add sand to the new mixture I already used cocofiber and "Seramis" in the mix but for sone plants that was not enough it seams But i never would have used any of the soil in my gsrden as in fact its so cley havy we had to buy sand and soil even for our garden plants lol

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Honestly the soil in my garden is like cement! It's hard to get a shovel in.

[@DuyNguyen-lo2mm]

This topic doesn't apply to house plant but also to woody plant like fruit trees. There seem to be a lot of channel on youtube that teaches people how to plant fruit tree and add amend and fancy soil when planting the fruit tree. But what they are doing is creating a sponge like environment when water due to different saturation and permeability to native soil. A slow death to the plant that is magnet to all kind of pest, disease, and fungus.

[@McJiver]

I have a very sizeable Maui Ixora that started blooming in February. I have potted it in a 15 gallon Rain Science bag. In the summer I pull the bag by its handles out of the decorative pot for winter use then put it outside. I remove the mulch on top and add black cow (only at the beginning of summer) then let her eat until summer ends. Gnats this year were almost non existent. These bags are designed to prevent the roots from curling. They use the term air pruning. I use no perlite. I can attest from other plants I have uprooted that the root system fans out in a much more natural way.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks for the tip 👍

[@lindasnowling1775]

It would help a lot if you could give a moisture Meter level reading for the different plant species example water when reading is on the dry level now is that number 1 2 or 3. Thanks great videos

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Thanks 👍

[@bizzhat]

I learnt something - thanks. Also -- for those misers under us, any alternative for pearlite? like pebbles, or idk... a bunch pf charcoal?

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Charcoal can work. Anything porous really

[@Chris-op7yt]

correct. who actually is responsible for millions of indoor plants dying from root rot is stores selling potting mix made of shredded bark, which is a terrible medium that tends to go putrid. a good general plant medium should never become waterlogged, when plants are waterred well, fully saturating and sometimes flushing built up salts. indoor plants need regular low level feeding with fertilizer, from which salts will build up if you dont occasionally flush them out. another thing that is often missed, no matter which medium you use, is to put calcium, magnesium and sulfur into medium during potting up and then once every few months. these macro nutrients are totally missing in potting medium, as we dont use soil, and are not present in macro or micro nutrient fertilizer, generally. you dont need silly remedies for fungus gnats, which feed on putrifying bark based potting mixes, that you should never use. depending on plant, either peat and perlite, or coir, are my mainstay media for indoor plants, apart from specialty needs plants.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Cheers Chris. I thought those micros were included in most fertilisers but I guess not

[@Chris-op7yt]

@@SheffieldMadePlants : that's because they're macros. they're not included with typical NPK macro fertilizers or even with micro nutrient solutions, as calcium and magnesium tend to tie up the other nutrients in a nutrient mix. there are some fertilizers that do come with calcium, but that's because they're a single nutrient and calcium etc., such as calcium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, which are used in the field for growing veggies. So if you see good color but very soft stems, it's usually a lack of calcium. In any case, potting medium is pretty much void of all nutrients and we must fertilize regularly. Check the fertilizer you use for recommended levels of calcium, magnesium and sulfur. If they're not present in the supplied nutrient, they wont appear out of no-where. If i have it on hand, i put in either garden lime or a cal/mag solution prior to potting up. Back to what you presented in the video, at least here in Australia, all orchids are sold with roots in a densely packed sphagnum moss. I guess suppliers are keeping them in a moist environment and not watering. Until people know about this and immediately repot in suitable very open mix, thousands of orchids die from being left in original medium and being watered....root quickly start fouling and plants die.

[@citycountrygirl7038]

"And you'll struggle to kill your plant unless you really.....GO FOR IT." Best statement EVER! I replayed that 10 times. Thank you for this wonderful video. I've really enjoyed it.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

😂😂 glad you liked the video

[@u842]

Great channel! I grew an avocado from seed and it did very well. When it got to be couple of feet it dead on me. It was winter time and it was in the window. Do you think it would have been okay if I had moved it out of the window?

[@u842]

Do you have Instagram?

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

I'm not sure the window would have done much? Maybe something else went wrong?

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Yes I do

[@Sandman1255]

Good video but i can't agree with adding perlite unless you want to keep soil constantly moist (wet) which will cause root rot.

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Why does perlite = moist soil?

[@Sandman1255]

@@SheffieldMadePlants Im a relative newbie to a large plant collection but here's what i found. Adding perlite to a plant potted in dreaded peatmoss was a disaster = a plant that will never dry out and a dead plant. Even in an airy soil it hangs on to water for its light weight.I have to rehab the plant. Im going semi-hydro now, pon or leca and that suits me better but even in plants i have'nt yet converted i dont add perlite. They are doing well tbh but i dont like dealing with soil 🙂

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

@@Sandman1255 perlite is very porous though and doesn’t retain water. It’s used for water drainage. Vermiculite is used for water retention

[@surgeinc1]

Do you mean vermiculite?

[@ja1066]

Do we have any effective fungicides to treat the infected root rot plants?

[@SheffieldMadePlants]

Hydrogen peroxide is a good option