I'm pretty new to the houseplant game, but I'm absolutely loving it! I've got five plants that I've researched extensively, focusing on what each one needs. Yesterday, I repotted three of them for the first time. I was feeling really prepared and excited until I got to my wandering dude. When I took her out, I noticed she was covered in what looked like mold. In a panic, I thought she had root rot and ended up cutting off a big chunk of her root system with a sterilized knife. Now, I'm worried I might have killed her! I pruned her back to help her conserve energy, but I'm mentally gearing up for her to maybe not make it. What should I expect?
4 Answers
If you did cut off parts due to rot, the plant might still bounce back. Even if you ended up cutting some healthy roots, it'll probably drop a few leaves from stress but should recover!
I think it'll be okay! *Tradescantias* are pretty tough plants, so don’t stress too much.
Could you share some pictures and the type of plant you're talking about? Just so you know, cutting the roots can affect the plant above ground since the root system supports the rest of the plant by absorbing water. You might have to prune some leaves too, depending on how it looks.
Honestly, *Tradescantias* are super resilient! We've all had moments of panic with our plants. Just remember that no situation is so urgent that you can't take a moment to breathe and do some research.