Question
As stated above, my Ming, which I LOVE and has been very healthy for so long seems to have succumbed to wet root syndrome/ root rot. I checked the roots, scooped away some of the wetter soil (must have over-watered that week). The roots looked okay, but the stems (the smaller ones) and leaves are drooping and look near death. I treated the roots with Copper Soap Fungicide from 'Concern', just a little around the root ball by pouring it around the trunk base. This Ming is probably several years old, and stands maybe two and a half feet tall, (due to much trimming back of top growth). When I bought it, it was supposed to be a Bonsai trained tree, but that's not quite the case. But it is maybe 5 inches or so in diameter around the base, maybe more. After that fungicide didn't work several days later, I panicked and repotted the plant. I soaked the rootball, gently as possible after rinsing, in a hydrogen peroxide/mostly water solution, then quickly, after cleaning out the ceramic pot, filled it with seed starter (heavily peat based, supposedly well draining soil) and watered it with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water, (about one quarter 3% peroxide) as I often due to help oxygenate the roots. The roots, again, appeared healthy, not rot or dark spots. I have read that Mings will droop like this sometimes if the roots are too wet, but i have done everything i can think of to restore this plant. Luckily, there are some apparently healthy leaves (though few) near the bottom, as well as some new leaf sprouts here and there. Is there any solution to this problem? I love this plant, and do not want to lose it over some silly mistake. Please help!  

PS: My Ming gets plenty of sun from a south/west facing window that it's near, regular mistings with water and hydro. p. (same ratio as above). In addition, I have several compact fluorescent lights strategically placed around all my plants, but not so close that they could burn anything sensitive to heat or light. I fertilize in the spring/summer every 3-4 weeks with a good balanced formula, not overly acidic. What could be the problem? I did bring a sick Coleus in to my home, a foot or so away from the Ming, but it succumbed to fungus and rot a week before my Ming got droopy, plus, there's no sign of rot. PLEASE HELP! ASAP!

Thank you in advance,
Micah M.

Answer
It sounds Micah like you really have diagnosed the sin of over-watering and the punishment of rotting roots.

Disease-causing bacteria (not Fungi) are Anaerobes.  They may not be destroyed by Oxygen, but no Aerobe can survive in an Anaerobic environment.

Substantial moisture is usually (not always) necessary for Fungi to thrive.  But Fungi are ALL Aerobic.  They cannot survive in an Anaerobic soil.

Your Ming's roots likewise cannot survive without Oxygen.  This does however describe a soil that is a perfect for root-rotting Pathogenic Bacteria.  The Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) you supplied was a great start, because this is basically a molecule of Water (H20) plus an extra Oxygen atom (O) that wanders around the pot dispensing Oxygen all over the drowning roots.  Adios, Bacteria.

Your Ming roots will have to recover.  Tone down the brilliant megadoses of Sunlight (normally these would be wonderful, but your plant is sick).  Give the plant Bedrest and lots of Sun, but less than now.  Feed gently, nothing too harsh.  If you feel this is an emergency, get your hands on something called Messenger, a medication that supports recovery of plant tissue.  You can order it from Eden Bioscience onlne.