Question
I read your July response re jade plant root rot and it fits my plant perfectly.  I have another related  question.  
I have maybe 4 or 5 plants with about 3/4 to 1 inch stems in the same pot.  How does the root rot affect these plants.  Should I do a repotting and seperate them or are all of them doomed.  This pot of jade plants is maybe 20 years old and I'd like very much to save it.  I would greatly appreciate your advise.  

Answer
Hi Joanne,

The roots of the separate stems are all completely intertwined within the soil and have been for 20 years. So all of the stems will be affected more or less equally by the soil/root zone environment. Thus, if one stem is showing symptoms of root rot, there is a very good chance that the others will as well although it make take a while for the symptoms to show up.

Perhaps if the root rot is not too advanced and you correct the problem by allowing to soil to dry out properly, then some of the stems may survive. But that is very iffy.

Separating the stems is not possible and won't solve the problem. You could inspect the rootball and look for signs of rotted roots and soggy soil. Gently remove this and move the remaining healthy roots (if there are any) and soil back into a smaller pot that will dry out more readily. Other than removing dead roots and soggy soil, disturb the roots as little as possible.

If you find few viable roots or just as an alternative, you can take cuttings from the remaining healthy stems and propagate them. Make sure that the cut section of the stems looks healthy. If you need help in propagating the cuttings, let me know.

Wish I had better news for you.

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

Visit my website at  www.HorticulturalHelp.com

If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]