If You Have Dying Plants, Try This Simple Sponge Hack

I can grow an outdoor garden with no problem, put me in charge of houseplants and I tend to fail big time.

I love plants, but for some reason, they do well for a bit and then they die.

I’m pretty sure that I may be overwatering and getting root rot because maybe there isn’t adequate drainage and water is getting trapped inside.

What Does Root Rot Look Like?

The signs that your plant may have root rot are pretty clear, the plant will wilt, the leaves change colors, and when you check the roots you can see that the roots look black and feel mushy.

The soil may also have a gross rotting smell to it.

How Do You Fix Root Rot?

However, today I learned about a simple trick with a sponge that could be the answer to my problems.

You can simply add a sponge to the bottom of the planter to help with the amount of water your plants are getting.

You’ll need to choose a sponge that doesn’t contain any antibacterial agents or detergents.

Cut the sponge down to a size that will fit in the bottom of your planter if needed.

You can then treat your sponge with bleach that has been diluted so that it will help prevent the sponge from molding.

Next, make sure that you have your plant in a proper planter, you want to make sure to use one that has proper drainage.

Remove the dying plant from the planter and make sure any trapped water is allowed to drain out.

Once you’ve done that you just place the sponge in the bottom of the planter, add the dirt back in and repot your plant.

The added sponge will allow air to flow through the soil as well as absorbing extra water in the pot until it can drain out if you happen to overwater the plant again.

This is such a simple and affordable tip to try before giving up hope on my dying plants and I hope to see them perk up pretty quickly.