skip to main content

House Plants garden

I need help with my aloe vera!

5 years ago

Hello!

I need your help with my Aloe vera :( I got this plant for about a year or so now. It has its ups and downs but overall everything was going well until recently. The soil is a potting mix for cactus and succulents and I put rocks at the bottom to help it drain. I water it whenever the soil is dry, maybe once per three weeks or so. The plant receives indirect sunlight, but I think maybe it needs more sun (it's kinda difficult to find a good place because my cat almost destroyed it once or twice...)

This week, maybe one or two days after I watered it, I noticed two of its leaves turned brown-ish and mushy, like it's sick or overwatered?? The center still looks okay tho'... Here are some pictures:

What should I do, should I remove the leaves entirely or just cut the brown parts? Should I also repot it? :(

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much!

Comments (4)

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
C&S soil mix sold in stores is often not as well draining as it should be. That's why many ppl using it add lots of coarse perlite. Most, that use it for succulents, will add 50 or 60% of perlite. I am assuming there is a drainage hole in your container since I see a saucer. Is there? Rocks in the bottom will not improve drainage, but proper mix will. I water all my succulents (do not grow Aloe vera, but have number of different aloes) much more often. They should be watered thoroughly, and potting mix should drain well and fast to allow excess water drain out and not stay and keep soil waterlogged.

Check your mix by using a bamboo skewer or chopstick. Insert deep - 3/4 deep or even more - into pot and leave in for few minutes. If it is clean and dry when pulled out - time to water. Otherwise, wait.

Indirect sunlight may not be enough.
marimo_boy thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years ago
The plant looks really thirsty. Since I quit letting the soil of my Aloe plants get literally dry, they stopped losing the older leaves. If your plant had gotten so dry that the roots had shriveled, it would follow that there would be mushy-ness after watering, wherever there was necrotic material. I hope that is not what happened. Agree about more light. The sun shines on this one outside in the morning for a few hours. Your plant looks like it can pull through if you can figure out how to get it more happy. The plant below looked terrible a few years ago but after getting to know him a little better, I realized the thirst level was much higher than I thought, and that his roots were very cramped, they're surprisingly big. It's hot where I live, that probably has a significant effect on the thirst.
marimo_boy thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
Related Discussions
Aloe vera or aloe vera
Q
Comments (4)
The first is Aloe vera v. chinensis. (blooms orange) The 2nd (although that looks like more spots than usual) which is much larger, thicker leaves & yellow blooms, is Aloe vera/barbadensis. I believe it has been reclassified with the latter name, but most people are still calling it by the former (vera), so one or the other is listed as a synonym. See link below for a pic of an Aloe vera/barbadensis ~Rosemarie, who hangs out on the C&S forum, but pops over here on occasion =) Here is a link that might be useful:
...See More
Can I help my aloe vera grow?
Q
Comments (6)
Change the soil, cut off all dead roots, use the right soil mix. water and fertilize once a week if the plant has live roots. Make sure it has plenty of fresh air, sun. Sun is needed to grow well. Don't let it sit in water, and don't water if the soil is still damp. Put a chop stick or pencil down in to the mix and see if it is perfectly dry. Pick up the pot and feel the weight, then feel the weight after it is watered. When you water make sure it is thorough. Water must readh the root ball. Give it love, make sure it is healthy. Do not use Peat moss in the soil, make sure the mix drains fast. If this doesn't work bury it and say a prayer. It bends over to reach the sun. Gradually put it into the sun, if you were going to the beach now when it is hot and sun out, wouuld you get a sun burn if you were out for a few hours? Don't just give you plant a drink, put it in the shower and drench it for 5 minutes, the water must reach the center of the root ball not just the edges around the pot. I don't know what more to tell you at at moment. I don't have any books to send, which you do need. I wish I could be of more help. Norma
...See More
need help to identify this Aloe plant; Aloe Vera???
Q
Comments (14)
Certainly not here to dispute the name of the Lowes plant. I bought a couple of the same plants, chuckling to myself that ALL of the aloes were labeled Aloe vera. Mine are PIG, growing well and curiously have lost their spots. You can see some of the spots remain on the bottom, oldest leaves. So I'm pondering the label again. Of course it hasn't flowered yet (about 3 years old), which will add to the info. I guess I wonder if Aloe vera pups start with spots. I have no pups to compare. My plant does not look like the OP's first plants. This post was edited by Crenda on Thu, Aug 7, 14 at 10:23
...See More
Need help figuring out what's wrong with my Aloe Vera
Q
Comments (16)
I see in the last picture link that bag of cactus soil. Did you amend this soil when you potted your Aloes? It doesn't look like you added much perlite or gravel to the mix, but maybe you did. This soil can compact and dry out. Once it is dry, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get it hydrated again. Water will run around the hard dry soil, but not through it. So then your plant is not getting the water you are giving it. I have had plants appear to have nice moist soil, but the soil around the roots was compacted and dry - meaning my plant was very thirsty. The leaves on your aloes look thin, making me think your plant is not getting the water. The recent rain may have soaked through any dried soil. Let's hope so! The color doesn't concern me as much as the thin leaves. These 2 plants had pretty much the same growing conditions. The one on the right did receive more of the evening sun. That one stayed brownish, but both had the plump leaves one expects to see.
...See More
User
5 years ago
Your plant is dying of dehydration! "Cacti & Succulent" soils largely sold nowadays in stores are TERRIBLE. They are high in peat moss which turns very hydrophobic once it dries out. You may think you are watering but the plant is not getting much if any moisture at its roots. If you leave it in there, then make sure the soil really gets thoroughly moistened when you do water.
marimo_boy thanked User
marimo_boy
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes, there is a drainage hole in my container! I've killed a few plants by overwatering them and I was so afraid to kill that one that I underwatered it I guess... :( I just gave it a good shot of water and put it closer to sunlight!
Thank you all for your replies and advice!

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Aloe Vera

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Bright yellow flowering spikes decorate this popular aloe from late winter into spring, much to the delight of hummingbirds

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Fire-Wise Landscapes Can Help Keep Your Home and Property Safe

By Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Choose fire-resistant plants and materials and create defensible areas using these design strategies

MOVING Relocating Help: 8 Tips for a Happier Long-Distance Move

By Laura Gaskill

Trash bags, houseplants and a good cry all have their role when it comes to this major life change

BATHROOM DESIGN Key Measurements to Help You Design a Powder Room

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Clearances, codes and coordination are critical in small spaces such as a powder room. Here’s what you should know

DECORATING GUIDES The Dumbest Decorating Decisions I’ve Ever Made

Caution: Do not try these at home

KITCHEN DESIGN Houzz Quiz: What Kitchen Countertop Is Right For You?

By Jennifer Ott Design

The options for kitchen countertops can seem endless. Take our quiz to help you narrow down your selection

Bring the Outside In With House Plants

By Scheer & Co. Interior Design

A Little Green Looks Good and Helps Clear the Air

CONTAINER GARDENS Consider These 10 Pet-Safe Houseplants

By Laura Gaskill

Help keep cats and dogs healthy with the right selection of indoor plants

GRAY Designers Share Their Favorite Light Gray Paints

By Becky Harris

These versatile neutrals can help create a range of moods in any room

DECORATING GUIDES 10 Must-Haves for a Lovingly Lived-In Look

By Becky Harris

Decorative elements such as collectibles, throw pillows and rugs will help create a home that’s undeniably yours

Sponsored

More Discussions

Alpine Violet Cyclomen

13

Help with dendrobium orchid

3

Calamondin Orange with scale insects

4

Indoor Gardenia

1

Help with my Monstera

2