Troubleshooting worksheet
Damaged or unhealthy roots
Roots appear brown, soft, hollow, knotted, pruned, girdled, or unusually sparse.
Look before acting
A visual match narrows questions. It does not prove a diagnosis.
Compare the location, pattern, affected plant parts, recent weather, watering, and changes in care before choosing a response.
Possible causes
Keep the list open at first.
01Saturated soil
02Root-feeding insects or nematodes
03Container binding
04Transplant injury
05Disease or physical damage
Questions to answer
Look at the whole plant and root zone.
- Are healthy roots pale and firm?
- Does the soil smell sour?
- Are roots circling the pot?
- Are galls or feeding scars present?
Low-risk actions
Change one thing at a time.
- Photograph roots before disturbing them further.
- Correct drainage and container volume.
- Trim only dead soft roots with clean tools where appropriate.
- Seek diagnostic help for galls or widespread decline.
Working checklist