Since the plants are all in pots and the roots are clearly visible, it is simple to spot healthy roots in the store. Place the plant on its side, hold the stem between two fingers just above the soil, and carefully slip it out of the pot.
How do strong roots appear? Healthy roots should be long enough to keep the soil in the shape of the pot, white or tan in color, succulent, and abundant. If there are any visible root tips, they should be white.
The plant is unhealthy if the roots are dark and brittle. AVOID BUYING IT. The plant is still healthy but not yet ready for transplant if the roots are very small and don’t hold the form of the soil.
If you can keep it in the pot for a while, only purchase it. The plant is root bound if the roots are round the pot in a way that leaves little area for soil. It will probably be okay if you buy it and transplant it, but it will take some time for it to acclimate and start growing nicely.
How can I tell if my succulent’s roots have rotted?
1) Examining the Sources Take the succulent out of the pot, shake off the soil, and examine the roots’ color. Either white or yellow roots are indicators of health. Root rot is present if the roots are either dark brown or black and feel slimy and damp to the touch.
What should the roots of succulent plants look like?
Succulents are tough, so even if their leaves, stems, or roots sustain minor injury, they’ll keep growing and flourishing.
 
Succulent roots that are healthy always have veins, are white or light in color, and are long enough to hold the dirt in the shape of your pot. In addition to looking moist, healthy roots taper in thickness away from the rootball. Don’t transfer your succulent if its roots can’t exactly retain the majority of the soil in the pot; instead, wait until it has expanded a little more before repotting.
Let your succulent grow a little bit more before repotting if its roots can’t quite hold the majority of the soil in the pot.
What are the signs of sick root systems?
Examine the roots of plants that are housed in smaller containers (larger plants are more difficult). Generally speaking, a plant will be healthier if its roots are whiter. Although the color of a plant’s roots may change as it ages, the same principle still holds true. A sick plant will have roots that are brown, black, mushy, or rotten. There could also be a decaying, unpleasant smell. Any of the following factors could be to blame for the issue’s emergence:
- Under- or overwatering
- soils with poor drainage
- extreme dryness
- Diseases that cause root rot
- excessive salts or toxic materials in the soil
Learn more about your plants’ root systems if you are taking care of indoor plants in your house. Keep in mind that plants’ roots require both water and air when you water them (they drink, but they also need to breathe). This will assist us in keeping our plants alive, healthy, and most importantly, gorgeous.
What does a succulent stem that is unhealthy look like?
On its leaves, a sick succulent will display the following indicators: leaves that are turning brown, orange, or yellow. leaves with dead leaf patches along the border. perforations in the leaves.
What do the roots of a dead succulent look like?
Even though you believe you have overwatered the plant, it is still best to check to make sure this is the real problem. Let’s examine the following to confirm that overwatering is the primary issue.
How does the soil appear, first?
It is damp and filled with water. Instead of individual soil grains, you will receive clumps of soil.
What are the initial indications of overwatering?
A succulent may frequently exhibit certain warning signals before to drowning from excess water so that you can save it before things get worse. Take action right now to save your succulent if you see any of the following symptoms in your plant.  
- Discoloration and a change in the form of the leaves are the first indications of overwatering that you should look out for. The leaves will begin to turn yellow or pale (beginning at the bottom), soft, and squishy, as you can see.
- The second warning sign to watch out for is if your succulent starts to lose its leaves very easily, even with a small touch or sway as it fills up with water.
- You’ll notice that the leaves start to turn brown or black if overwatering persists. When this starts to occur, your succulent is either rotting or infected with a fungal illness brought on by too much water.
Discoloration and a change in the shape of the leaves are the first indications of overwatering that you should look out for.
3. Describe the appearance of a wilting succulent.
A decaying succulent will have stems that are either brown or black and squishy, as well as black leaves that begin at the base of the plant. All of these are signs that your succulent is already decaying from the roots up as a result of too much water, and if you don’t act quickly, the plant will soon turn into a mushy mess.
The lower leaves of a decomposing succulent will appear to be black. Image source: succulents101
How do decaying roots appear?
Root rot is frequently difficult to identify until significant harm has been done. Slow growth, squishy stems, and wilting, yellow, deformed leaves are indications of root rot (especially when the plant has been well watered, as wilting leaves can also be a sign of a dry plant). Typically, the soil will smell foul and the roots will be reddish brown in color.
The best course of action is to remove and replace the plant if root rot symptoms have been found. The plant frequently can’t change its direction.
How can I determine the health of my succulent?
Succulents are fashionable and trendy plants to have about your house or place of business, but they can be difficult to maintain. We are here to assist you in maintaining the health and vitality of your planted bundles of delight. This blog post will teach you how to correctly water your succulents, where to keep them, and how to recognize the telltale indications of a succulent in trouble.
Starting Off On The Right Foot
You must begin with a succulent that is in good shape if you want to give your plants the best chance of surviving. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be a concern if you get your succulents from Succulent Bar! We purchase our succulents from nearby plant nurseries, and we carefully choose each succulent we offer to our clients. Our succulents are handled with the utmost care and are guaranteed to be in excellent condition when received, whether they are shipped or purchased in person.
Succulents with brilliant colors, firm leaves, and sluggish growth are healthy. Succulents are not designed to expand rapidly. So, despite the fact that this would appear to be a bad indication, it actually is. Additionally, you could occasionally discover dried leaves at the base of your succulent, but this is also a positive sign. Succulents actually grow by losing their old leaves. Dried leaves indicate healthy growth in your succulent.
Light
In general, succulents need a lot of indirect light, and the majority of species will burn in hot light. Sunlight that filters through objects like window coverings, tree leaves, or bounces off of walls is referred to as indirect sunlight (think a covered patio). Usually, 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day are ideal. The optimum location for a succulent indoors is on a sunny window sill that faces south or west.
Water
Compared to most plants, succulents need far less water and less frequent irrigation. The majority of succulents usually die from overwatering. Check the soil of your succulent as a general rule. Every time you water, your soil should be completely dry. Following that, you’re welcome to water with 1-2 teaspoons of water and make adjustments. A little water goes a long way because the majority of succulents have very shallow root systems. Succulents dislike having their roots wet for an extended period of time, or having “wet feet.”
How to Water
If water remains on the leaves of succulents for too long, they are prone to easy decay. It is advisable to lift your succulent’s leaves and water the plant’s base as opposed to sprinkling or drenching the top of the plant because these plants absorb water through their roots. Tools like a spoon, straw, watering can, or mister can be used for this. Native to regions that receive a lot of water before going through a drought, succulents (think desserts). What does that imply then? It implies that they favor the soak-and-dry approach. After giving them a nice sip of water, wait until they are COMPLETELY dry before watering them once more. Water your succulents on average once every two to three weeks, and avoid letting their soil remain wet for more than a few days at a time.
Containers
In pots with adequate drainage, plants grow the best. Therefore, the best choice is to use pots with holes in the bottom. You can buy containers with holes already drilled into them or you can drill or poke holes yourself into your container. However, just because the majority of containers—especially the really adorable ones—don’t have drainage holes doesn’t mean you can’t use them. It DOES mean, however, that you should water your succulents properly, taking care to avoid soaking the soil for extended periods of time. See the How to Water section above.
Soil
Cactus soil that has been aerated is ideal for succulent growth. After watering, cactus soil tends to dry out quickly, protecting your succulent against root rot and too much water. Most plant nurseries and department shops with garden centers, such Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Walmart, carry this kind of soil. Your soil must be formed of substances like sand, moss, perlite, bark, and pumice and have a grittier texture.
Soggy or yellowed leaves
Typically, mushy, yellow leaves indicate that you have overwatered your succulent. Transferring your succulent to completely dry cactus soil is the best approach to preserve one that has been overwatered. After that, consider reducing the amount of water you give your succulent by only watering it with 1-2 tablespoons when the soil is fully dry. Depending on the habitat, this normally occurs every two to four weeks.
Rot
Your succulent may be rotting if you overwatered it or provided it with insufficient drainage. Without drainage, excess water will build up inside your container and cannot leave, rotting your succulent. Make sure your container has the right drainage holes by checking. If not, make holes in your container with a drill or a pin or transfer to a different container. See the information under “Containers” above if your container does not have a drainage hole.
Wilted Leaves
A plant that has underwatered will have wilted, rubbery leaves. Water your succulent with 1-2 tablespoons of water to start fixing this issue. After then, don’t water again until the earth is completely dry. If this occurs more quickly than 3–4 weeks, it might be time to increase your water intake. Over the coming weeks and months, test the watering frequency once more to determine the ideal amount for your succulent.
Stretching
Your succulent requires more light if you notice that it is getting taller and has wider spaces between its leaves. Although it can look fantastic that your succulent is expanding, succulents actually grow very slowly. Your succulent is enlarging as a result of its search for more light. If you experience this issue, relocate your succulent as soon as possible to a sunny window sill. Sadly, stretching cannot be undone. After that, your succulent will continue to grow and prosper, but its stem will still be stretched.
Scorching
The presence of dark patches on your succulent’s leaves indicates overexposure to sunshine and burnt foliage. These “burns” won’t go away, but as your succulent grows, it will ultimately slough off these leaves. Simply move your succulent to a less bright area to solve this problem.
What hue do dead roots have?
Dead roots are shriveled or wrinkled, brittle, and dark brown or black in appearance. To distinguish between live and dead roots, specific staining tests are often utilized.
What symptoms indicate a succulent is root-bound?
It could be challenging to determine whether your succulent is root-bound without taking it out of the pot. Root-bound succulents frequently feature drooping leaves, discolored stems, and a dry top layer of soil. They also frequently appear to be underwatered. The bottom of your succulent plant may also have crispy, pruney, or brown leaves that are softer to the touch. A succulent may also exhibit limited growth and quick drainage after watering if its roots are encircled.
In addition, extremely root-bound succulents may have harmed their pot or begun to grow through the drainage hole. If the pot appears to be deformed or to have fractures in it, it may be root-bound. Lift your pot and look at the bottom for indications of root growth to check for extra roots coming from the drainage hole.  
Remove your succulent from the pot and look at the rootball to see whether it is root-bound. You’ll find it much simpler to remove your succulent’s roots from the pot if they aren’t too tightly connected, but if they are, you might need a little extra assistance because the roots have already begun to attach to the pot’s walls. To get rid of any roots that are stuck, dig around the pot’s outermost edges with a knife. Examine the rootball of your succulent after removing it from the pot. If the roots are tightly coiled around the rootball, your succulent may be slightly root-bound. Your succulent is severely root-bound if the roots are closely packed around the rootball or take the shape of the pot with little earth visible.