Question: Why Does My House Plant Stink?

Musty smelling houseplants are usually overwet. If you’ve noticed a musty odor around your houseplant, the cause is most likely from overwatering. When plants are given more water than they need, the result can lead to mold or fungus growth, or even root rot, which can destroy the plant.

How do you fix stinky indoor plants?

Add about 1/3 cup of activated charcoal to about 4 quarts of potting soil. The charcoal absorbs odors naturally, says the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, without harming the houseplant.

Why does my indoor plant smell like poop?

With overwatering, the plant is prone to root rot, fungal and bacterial infections, and mold growth, any of which could be responsible for the foul smell. In garden soil, the poop smell could also be caused by fresh or under processed manure that you might be using to fertilize the plants.

What causes plants to smell bad?

Soil that smells rotten, like ammonia, is an indicator of bad drainage or lack of oxygen, as stated by the USDA. Next, touch some with your hands. It should crumble easily. If the soil is compact, it prevents water from being appropriately used throughout the plant system.

How do I get rid of root rot smell?

This smell is a result of the bacteria that grow in anaerobic conditions, like the bottom of a pot with wet soil and nowhere for the water to go. Shake off as much soil from the plant’s roots as you can, then rinse them under running water. Gently massage the roots to loosen up any dead sections.

What are the signs of root rot?

Signs of root rot in garden plants include stunting, wilting, and discolored leaves. Foliage and shoots die back and the entire plant soon dies. If you pull up a plant with root rot, you will see that the roots are brown and soft instead of firm and white.

Can houseplants make your house smell bad?

They also have them to improve the indoor air quality. However, there are occasions when houseplants can produce a bad odor that can foul up the indoor atmosphere. To get odors out of houseplants, find the source and address the reasons for the stench.

How do you fix smelly soil?

Smelly soil can be fixed by adding soil amendments such as perlite and vermiculite to the mix in order to increase the aeration and drainage properties of the soil. When added, soil amendments would increase the air spaces between soil to soil particles while providing a pathway for water to drain freely.

How do you get rid of smelly soil?

Tilling in leaf litter, straw, hay, wood chips and even shredded cardboard will gradually fix the problem when mulch smells like ammonia. Sterilizing the soil also works, by killing off the bacteria, which are releasing the odor as they consume the excess nitrogen in the soil.

How do I dry out my plant soil?

How To Dry Wet Soil Fast

1. Slide your plant out of its pot and wrap kitchen towels or newspaper around the damp soil.
2. Another option is to set your plant on dry soil after removing it from its pot.
3. Drying soil with a hairdryer – After removing your plant from its pot, use a hairdryer on the cool setting near the soil.

How do you fix root rot?

Root Rot

1. Remove the plant from the pot and break off the soil from the root ball.
2. Use sterilized scissors to trim away rotting roots.
3. Prune back the foliage of your plant.
4. Toss the rest of the original soil.
5. Wash the pot with a bleach water solution to kill any fungus or bacteria.

Does peroxide help root rot?

Root rot is most commonly caused by poor soil aeration or over watering. Mix one part 3% percent hydrogen peroxide with two parts water and carefully pour it over the plant’s root system with a watering can or spray bottle. This will kill off the bacteria which causes root rot.