# How to Remove Air Roots From Philodendrons
In their native habitats, large philodendrons climb high up into the tree canopies dozens of feet from the ground. To help them cling to trees and get the water they need, they have developed long, aerial roots. These roots may grow many feet long trying to reach the ground to get water and nutrients. While that works well in a jungle, it isn't very attractive in a house. You should never remove the entire root but removing dead tips or trimming a few of them back a little will not harm the plant
Things You'll Need
- Bleach
- Container
- Clippers
- Fungicidal powder
- Small paintbrush
Instructions
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1
Mix 1 part bleach with 10 parts of water. Wipe the blades of your clippers with the solution to prevent spreading disease.
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2
Choose the roots you want to trim. Wipe them with a rag dipped into the bleach solution to remove any pathogens that might be on them. This prevents the pathogens from invading the cut surface of the root.
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3
Prune no more than one-half of the total number of aerial roots at one time. Use the sterilized clippers to remove up to one-third of the length of the root. Dust the cut end with fungicidal powder using a small paintbrush.
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4
Wait a month before trimming more of the aerial roots. Do not trim the roots you trimmed before unless they have started to die and then only cut off the dead tips.
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1
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