Question
QUESTION: I have a Ming Aralia house plant that seems to of recently developed a foul urine smell in the soil.  I do not have any pets or children so I know one of them could not be the culprit.  What is the problem and how do I go about treating it?

ANSWER: You ask a very interesting question that I have never encounterd without there being an animal involved.  The only thing I can suggest is to dig into the soil and see if you can find anything unusual such as a bug or maybe some dead roots that could be causing the odor.  Secondly, I would take the plant outside and run a lot of water through the pot and see if the odor goes away.  Please respond back with your results as I am interested in determining the cause.  I will do some research on my end to see if I can find out anything.

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QUESTION: I am not an avid gardener but thinking back on what you said to do and what I saw almost makes me think the roots looked bad.  They were yellow but seemed to look healthy and strong.  I waited for some time to pass before I responded to be sure the smell was still there and it is.
Please help!  My husband is trying to make me get rid of this large plant.
Thank you,
Astasia

Answer
If the smell is like a sewer, then the plant has been getting too much water and bacteria and fungi will invade those roots and cause rot.  Move the plant to another location if in the soil.  If in a pot, re-pot the plant with a light potting soil and see if that will help.  Yellow roots are OK, dark brown to black is rotted.  Good Luck.