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Cacti & Succulents

What’s wrong with my aloe Vera plant?

5 years ago

over the winter my aloe plant leaves started to droop and the base of the leaves are very light in color. I read that this could be due to lack of water so I tried giving it some,but this didn’t help. Now the end of one leaf is turning brown and is a little soft. The other leaves are all pretty plump, and are not squishy they just seem weak? What could be wrong? What should I do to fix it?

Featured Answer

Stefan

5 years ago

Not enough light, too much water.

Comments (7)

Helen Agius (Adelaide,Sth Aus) USDA Z10b
5 years ago
Hi Gwyn. Also what sort of potting mix do you use, does the pot have a drainage hole and do you use a saucer or let it drain out freely.
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Those are some great looking plants randy. This is a very old post. Since then, my big aloe plant got worse and worse. It started losing leaves, and the black spots have spread everywhere except for the pups and a few leaves in the middle. I watered very little, much less than I used to, which was only once a week... Unfortunately that did not help and I was forced to get rid of the plant, and I planted a new one from a pup I had left. This new plant is growing extremely slowly, it's very frail and pale. The leaves are very thin and look like they are half dried out or even dead. Only a few leaves in the middle are nice and healthy. I am only watering a little bit once in every two weeks since it's the winter, but there is just no positive change. Well at least the plant is not dying. It's just sort of staying in this miserable state without any change for better or worse.
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If the part of the smaller plant is brown, it may or may not be a problem: squeeze it gently to see if it is soft. If soft, there could be rot or hopefully, only waterlogged and may dry up. Take them out of the soil, let sit on some newspaper or kitchen towels to dry up, in well ventilated spot (not direct sun). Make sure you get off all the mucky soil - wash it off if necessary. It won't die if out of soil for a while (even few days). How about the leaves - are they just limp or yellowish-looking and very soft? Photo would help... I am not familiar with your soil either (but many members from UK use it - hopefully they will see your post & comment), but I would mix it with min 50% of perlite. If you could get some grit, it may help, mixing approx. 20% of soil and 40/40% of perlite. Make sure there are drainage holes in the pot. Do not press soil down too hard when potting, just firm it up. Poking around perimeter of the pot while adding soil will help it to settle down. You could always use some larger rocks to support the plant after potting - while it is growing roots to anchor itself in the pot.
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Not recommended by most of us here unless it's had at least 50% perlite added...despite what the packet says. For a tall plant like this you need more weight so I would use equal parts of c/s mix, perlite and horticultural gravel(aquarium gravel would also do or chicken grit).
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I think your plant looks very healthy, but I see that it does look quite distinct from the plant that I grow as Aloe vera or Aloe barbadensis. I don't think this is just a question of maturity, but I am not 100% sure. Although, I have had older Aloes and believe they are somewhat different in appearance, more juicy. Here are two of mine below, I have lots, but when I try to give them to my friends they somehow manage to kill them.
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rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
It needs well draining mix, and more light. Soft leaves are usually sign of overwatering. If that's the case, leaves will start getting very soft and almost yellowish in color. Even if your mix is dry on surface, it may be wet around the roots. Mixing lots of coarse perlite with soil may help.

Light color of the leaves is because of lack of light, not water. Those new leaves are extremely thin and have almost no chlorophyll. Even new leaves should have darker green color and be rather short, with spines - just like older leaves, but small. Pls. put it in better light, but slowly - they could burn very easily now.
Gwyn Dyka
Original Author
5 years ago
Ok thank you everyone for all the advice I will give it more light. I am not really sure what the potting mix is, it was given to me by my sister and when they had it it was doing really good so I never changed it.
Gwyn Dyka
Original Author
5 years ago
Should I break off the brown part of the leaf or leave it?
Matt z5b - Greenhouse 10a
5 years ago
It might be too late sadly, if you can put it in new dry soil and in a bright sunny window there's a slight change of recovery :)
Yonatin 7a
5 years ago
From my experience which is limited but still valid, I would say it is still salvageable. All you need to do is water it less and provide more light. Do you have a bright window to put it in? If so put it near the window to build up it's sunglasses or harden off. once you feel it is less tender than it is now move it closer or into the window to soak up the rays. Aloe is a hard plant to kill for me so I have hope you can pull this one around.

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