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I will explain how this happened, but one stump just came out easily, and I suspected root rot. Now, I took the plant out and examined the roots and found rot rotting with the tubers rotted too.

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On the first plant, I cut the two tubers(potato) right away cz I got frightened. And I washed the roots to get rid of the bad soil with possible bacteria from root rot. And I also took the liberty to remove all the rotted or rotting roots.

Now this is what is left of it:

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What should I do? I am thinking of re-potting in a better soil and wait. Or should I throw away this plant or consider propagation?

4-K
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2 Answers2

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Start by cutting out any more of the rotted root should you find it. Leave healthy root intact, but be thorough with any diseased part. Ask a local nursery to see if they sell fungicide and consider applying that on the healthy part.

Choose a new pot, wash and dry the pot thoroughly. Wash the plant and wipe with paper towels to dry and clean the surfaces. If you found a suitable fungicide, apply it. Use fresh soil, re-pot and water sparingly allowing the pot to dry between watering.

You may be able to save the plant.

Srihari Yamanoor
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This looks like galls produced by nematodes...not the beneficial kind. The best thing to do is GET RID OF ALL SOIL AND PLANT MATERIAL SOAK POT IN BLEACH. These nematodes are microscopic. Carefully put the plant, soil and everything in a plastic bag. You don't want it to infect or move to your other plants. There are cool beneficial nematodes but it is usually a NON beneficial nematode that causes these swellings on the roots. Then root rot is part of the course. Don't try to save this plant. This is one more reason to use sterilized potting soil sweetie. Just ONE bad dude can proliferate and become a fatal problem in a pot. No controls.

Fungicide won't do anything for this problem, this is a nematode not a fungus. Fungus will of course take its part down the road. GET RID OF EVERY BIT of soil, plant material and if you want to use that pot again, soak it in a heavy bleach solution for half an hour. Don't rinse just allow to dry.

Dang I hate to say wish you could've found sterilized potting soil...and I hope this isn't in the soil your other plants reside. EEuuuww. Try a specimen microscope (costs $14) you should have one anyway. At 40X and illuminated (comes with the specimen microscope...great gift for kids...and adults) you should be able to see them. Did you get all of your soil from the same place?

Need to check this out before any other treatments. You need to see this world at the microscopic level to determine exactly what you've got. Go get this soil TESTED for nematode. To be on the safe side, get rid of that soil and plant and sterilize pot. Meanwhile find a way to SEE whether or not I am right or wrong.

I have one of those specimen microscopes and I adore the thing. Imagine two 1/2" cylinders, 6" long, comes with a illuminating bulb and focus dial. When you pull the two cylinders apart the light comes on and you can see 40X better!

4K could you have TRIED to have a huger range of plant problems? Sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing but this is how we all learned. There is no gardener alive or has lived before that didn't go through hell to learn this stuff. Congratulations? Grins. I hope I am wrong...very possible! But get rid of that plant and soil!!

stormy
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  • wait, wait, wait, wait. Isn't that the tubers of ZZ Plant? http://www.jackwallington.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_0536.jpg – 4-K Nov 23 '16 at 05:46
  • I cut them and they were like potato :) – 4-K Nov 23 '16 at 05:48
  • I re-potted the plant yesterday :( – 4-K Nov 23 '16 at 05:56
  • OK...you need this inexpensive specimen microscope. If this is nematode damage...you have verify what caused those galls. This could be happening to all of your plants! 4K, this just isn't fair to you....I hate being such a downer. Send some of that soil off to University for testing...CHEAP! Maybe someone else will have better ideas and better news. Chin up! – stormy Nov 23 '16 at 06:04
  • I will see if I can send it to a lab. I searched fr microscope but the one I found was costly, around Rs. 2000($29.21). And it has only 6x magnification. :( – 4-K Nov 23 '16 at 06:18
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    These little scopes are wonderful cheap tools. I could spend all day playing with them. These are plastic, straightforward. Let's just assume i am wrong yet be forewarned to look for symptoms. You need at the very least a 10X loupe. I've got a real microscope but it is in storage and this one you can look at something anything like right now. Look for SPECIMEN microscopes. That 10X loupe is standard and these scopes are a step up to include a light. – stormy Nov 23 '16 at 09:27
  • I looked up for the specimen microscope. :( – 4-K Nov 25 '16 at 10:08
  • Did you find it? No? I'll go find a site so you are able to order. And I'll try to find a site for you to order decent soil. Otherwise, you will have more and more problems. And you are working so hard!! Every gardener has to have at the very minimum a 10X loupe. This is even better. To start seeing the life at a level we are unable to see with our normal eyesight is illuminating!! Puts us humans in our place where we should be, grins. – stormy Nov 25 '16 at 22:37
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    This is a bit better than the cheap one I use for 2 more bucks.https://www.teachersource.com/product/1132/forensic?gclid=Cj0KEQiA39_BBRD0w-_rmOrc__8BEiQA-ETxXcvKoUkWFs0QCtSHAL3nB7IJuYJyVO7-trdOay1-FMcaAhVa8P8HAQ# Have you ever had the chance to look through the lens of microscopes? To not know this world exists in the world of plants we are trying to understand is THE deal breaker!! – stormy Nov 25 '16 at 22:43