If your plant is looking a little under the weather, you may want to check its roots. It’s possible that your plant has dead roots and you will need to take action. But what do you do with dead plant roots?
Composting dead plant roots is the best way to get rid of them since this will allow you to turn them into nutritious soil for later use. It’s important to make sure the plants are actually dead – if they are just heavily damaged, you may be able to save them by repotting the plant.
There are several ways to identify and treat dead roots. If you take action quickly, you may be able to save your plants.
What do you do with dead plant roots?
The first thing you will want to do is make sure that your plant’s roots are dead. There is a reason why your plant appears to be dying and you will have to figure it out to try to save it.
Once you confirm that your plant’s roots are truly dead and not just sleeping, you have a couple of choices. First, you can leave the roots in the soil to break down and become nutrients. Your second choice is to remove the plant, roots and all, and dispose of it.
You can compost this leftover material, plants, roots, and all, or you can throw it out. Composting is the best method since it will preserve any remaining nutrients and save them for future plant use in the form of rich, nutritious soil.
If your plant’s roots are not dead but just damaged, you will want to cut off as many of the damaged parts as you can before repotting the plant. Make sure to use sterilized pruning shears to prevent the spread of disease.
What to do with old plant roots?
Old plant roots can either be left in the soil or can be removed completely. There are several factors to take into consideration when deciding whether to leave the old roots in the soil.
First, you need to consider the overall health of the plant that left the roots behind. If you have any knowledge of the plant dying from any reason other than plain neglect, it is best to remove the roots from the soil.
Second, if there is considerable soil compaction due to the network of roots that are left behind, you may need to remove them. The new plants will be forced to compete for space with the old roots, causing health issues.
Third, if the network of old roots has caused compaction, there may be drainage issues as well. This will cause the soil to become waterlogged following watering because it cannot drain properly.
Fourth, if the soil becomes waterlogged then there will be no aeration. Roots also need to respire. If your new plant’s roots cannot respire, then it will slowly die.
Once you consider all of these points, you can decide on whether or not your soil can support new plants without having the old roots removed. If any of these will be a problem for your circumstances, then it is best to completely remove the roots.
Can you leave old roots in soil?
In nature, no one pulls the roots of dead plants from the ground. Instead, soil microbes break down the roots, which in turn fertilize the soil. Underground organisms, including worms, bacteria, and fungi all assist with this process of returning roots to basic nutrients.
It is a best practice to leave the roots of your annual plants in the soil. This way, when you clean up your garden, you are not disturbing the root zones of the other plants.
Removing the stems of plants will cause their roots to break down. Annual plants have thin, small root systems that will break down quickly. You can encourage the breakdown of the root system by covering the area with cardboard or mulch.
If you are using a planter inside, you will not want to leave the old roots in the soil. They can hamper the growth of any new plants you place in the planter.
How to tell if plant roots are dead?
A plant should have pale, plump roots. The type of plant will affect the appearance of the roots. They could be yellowish or white. They could be thin or thicker than spaghetti. Any deviation from this appearance indicates that you have a problem.
Dry and brittle roots indicate that you have not watered your plant enough. At this point, you may still have a chance to save your plant and the roots may not be completely dead. You can try watering them and if they do not return to normal, they are dead.
If your plant’s roots are spongy, mushy, or not firm, chances are you have watered it too much. Spongy roots will begin to decompose. If your plant or its soil smell like mildew and your plant’s roots have this appearance, then the roots are dead.
Can a dead root come back to life?
If a plant’s roots are completely dead, they will not come back to life. More commonly what is referred to as a dead root is a dormant or damaged root.
There are certain levels of damage that a root cannot recover from.
How do you treat dead roots?
When roots become mushy or spongy as a result of overwatering, you will first need to cut off all of the affected roots. Then remove as much of the waterlogged soil from the roots as possible and repot the plant in fresh soil.
If the roots are dry and brittle, you will need to slowly replenish the plant’s water, making sure not to overwater it. Given time, if the roots are not truly dead, they will return to normal.
For diseased roots that suffer from conditions like root rot, cut off the affected portion with sterile pruning shears. Discard the original soil and sterilize the planter. Then repot the plant with fresh soil.
What to do with dead plants in pots?
If you have dead plants in pots, the first thing you will want to do is confirm that they are truly dead. Once you verify this, then the best option is to use the dead plants as compost for future plants. You will only need to throw them away if they were diseased.
Take the dead plants and chop them up into small pieces and put them in the compost bin. If you don’t make compost, you can always use this material as mulch for your plants.
If the plants had a disease before they died, you will want to throw them in the trash. Otherwise, if you compost them, you run the risk of transferring that disease to the plants you use your compost on.
Final thoughts
Dead plant roots can be used for putting nutrients back into the soil. At the same time, however, they can cause problems for the next round of plants. You will have to consider several factors before deciding whether to keep the roots in the soil.
When you find dead roots, you have to act quickly to try and treat them. There is the potential that they are not truly dead and that they are just damaged. You will need to check for signs of overwatering, underwatering, and disease.
Dead plants and old roots are both excellent sources of nutrients for plants. When possible, you should consider using both to keep your new plants healthy.
