The Toothbrush Hack You Need When Repotting Plants

Repotting plants is an important process that allows your greenery to grow and thrive. Normally, repotting is pretty simple — gently remove your plant from its original container, loosen the roots, and add it to a new, larger container with more soil. However, if you notice that some of the roots have a darker appearance, mushy texture, or foul smell, you may be dealing with root rot. In this case, you'll also need to clean and trim the affected roots of your plant before placing it in its new home. This process is called root pruning, and some plants need it in order to stay healthy. To do this effectively, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush.

There are a handful of smart ways to repurpose an old toothbrush in your garden — using the brush to gently remove dirt from plant roots during the repotting process is one of the smartest. Removing the dirt in this scenario is important, as the old soil could still contain disease-causing pathogens. If any of the old soil remains, the disease may spread to healthy roots after repotting. Small brushes like paintbrushes and, in this case, toothbrushes work great to get into every crevice of the root system where stray soil may be clinging on for dear life.

Even if you've filled your home with the easiest houseplants that anyone can keep alive, you still might experience root rot and find yourself in need of this toothbrush hack. Start by removing your plant from its container and using your fingers to gently loosen the roots and shake off as much soil as possible. It may seem like common sense to run the roots under warm water, but it's actually easier to remove dirt from roots with a brush when everything is dry, so resist the temptation. Then, place your plant roots on a paper towel or scrap piece of newspaper and use careful strokes of your toothbrush to remove bits of stuck on soil. 

Once all of the soil is removed, you can trim away any rotted portion of the roots. Treat your scissors with disinfectant as you trim to protect the healthy roots. Then, continue the repotting process as you normally would. Simple things like choosing the right soil and the right sized pot go a long way for the overall health of your precious plants. Refrain from overwatering, which is a common cause of root rot for indoor houseplants. Root rot can also occur with plants that are propagated in water. Thankfully, you can also use your handy gardening toothbrush to gently clean the roots and revive the plant by cutting off the affected areas and replacing the water.