Question
Hi there,

I have a white flowering Anthurium.  About 4 months ago, my plant was attacked by mites, I went to a local plant store and picked up some pesticide.  Within the few days the mites were gone, and I have not seen them since.  I have also re-potted as the pot it was in was far too small, and the area around the roots was starting to get mildewish. I have rocks for drainage, it is not in direct sunlight, but in a bright room, I water once a week.
All the tips are brown, even new leaves and it has not bloomed in about 6 months -any tips, ideas, suggestions.  I love this plant, and want to save it!

Answer
Hi Anthurium,

The roots on your Anthurium are rotting. When new growth comes in distorted or discolored, it is always a sign that roots are dying.

Your plant was in the correct sized pot before you repotted. The presence of mildew indicated that the soil was staying too moist. Using a larger pot has aggravated problem because adding soil, which acts like a sponge, means that the soil takes even longer to dry out now and thereby promotes root rot. Unnecessary repotting is the single most common cause of plant problems, specifically root rot.

In addition, adding drainage material to the bottom of a pot is an outdated and discredited practice. To get proper drainage you need the right sized pot with drainage holes in the bottom and a potting mix that is porous throughout.

Anthuriums must be within several feet of an uncovered, sunny window. A few hours of direct sun each day is best with lots of very bright indirect light for the rest of the day. I suspect that inadequate light has added to your Anthurium's problems.

Unpot your plant and remove the soil that you added. Look for healthy, firm roots. If you find none or very few, then your plant will not recover. If you find a half dozen or more healthy roots, then it has a chance. Remove all soil except that which is in direct contact with the roots. Do NOT remove all of the soil. Pot the slimmed down rootball in the smallest pot that will hold the healthy roots and a minimum amount of potting mix. Make sure the pot has drain holes. Move the plant to a bright location close to a window and keep it warm. Water only when the top half-inch of soil feels dry. This should happen about every week or 10 days at most. If it takes longer, the root rot will continue.

At best, it will take your Anthurium a long time to recover from its rotted roots. It will need to grow healthy roots that fill the pot before it will start to put out healthy new growth. It will take a lot of patience on your part. Do not fertilize until the plant is fully recovered.

I have written an article on proper repotting that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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