I'm facing a bit of a plant crisis. After repotting a few of my plants, I decided to mix in some orchid bark for better aeration. However, just a few days later, five out of seven of my plants have developed root rot! I've always used a combination of perlite, pumice, and peat/coco coir, and my usual soil mix is really loose and quick drying. I never thought the orchid bark would retain too much moisture since I thought it would just add aeration. Has anyone else had similar experiences with orchid bark causing problems? I'm really worried because I bought a lot of it and don't want to mess up my other plants! Edit: I suspect the excess moisture from the bark may have contributed to the rot, but I'm curious about others' experiences.
4 Answers
Have you tried bottom watering in the future? That might help prevent root rot. It does seem unusual to see such quick root rot. Orchid bark typically shouldn't cause that much trouble if used correctly.
I use orchid bark too, and my plants thrive on it! I stick to coarse-grade bark, as I’ve found the finer stuff can break down too much. I usually avoid coco coir since it tends to hold more moisture and can lead to rot. Hang in there!
It's possible the bark retained more moisture than your plants are used to, but I think blaming the bark entirely might be a stretch. Are you sure it's root rot? Typically, it doesn't manifest that quickly, usually over a longer period.
Are your plants sitting in water or are the pots too big? Floppy leaves can be a sign of stress. It might be worth checking if they're getting too much moisture overall.
No standing water, and I made sure the mix is super airy—85% pumice and perlite. The pots are only slightly bigger than the last ones. I was worried about rot, hence the mix. But now, floppy leaves show it's definitely not ideal.
The roots are mushy and falling off—pretty sure it’s root rot. I might have been off on the time, maybe it was a week. You're right about the moisture retention; I thought it would just aerate the mix but didn’t consider it might keep things too wet. Appreciate your thoughts!