Aloe vera is a plant that’s favored by plant lovers for both indoor and outdoor spaces due to its low-maintenance qualities. Its green fleshy and jagged leaves enhance the overall appearance of any room or garden. These plants are remarkably easy to grow and maintain – often requiring very little attention. However, if not placed in ideal conditions, aloes can become fragile and damaged.
If you’re worrying about your aloe plant dying, don’t panic. There is hope! In this article, I’ve discussed the reasons why your aloe plant is dying and some great ways to save it. Continue reading.
Table of Contents
Aloe plant dying
| Steps | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Remove the plant from its current pot |
| Step 2 | Remove any dead or damaged roots as well as yellow or brown leaves |
| Step 3 | Treat the remaining healthy roots with a fungicide |
| Step 4 | Select a new pot that is slightly larger than the previous |
| Step 5 | Choose a well-draining potting and soil mix |
| Step 6 | Ensure that the plant is positioned correctly and that the soil is packed firmly around the roots. |
| Step 7 | Water the plant and allow it to drain before returning it to its usual spot |
How to save an aloe plant?
Here’s how to save an aloe plant… First, remove the plant from its current pot. Take care to remove any dead or damaged roots, as well as any yellow or brown leaves. After this, it is important to treat the remaining healthy roots with a fungicide to prevent any potential infections. Next, select a new pot that is slightly larger than the previous one and choose a well-draining potting and soil mix. When repotting, ensure that the plant is positioned correctly and that the soil is packed firmly around the roots. Finally, water the plant and allow it to drain before returning it to its usual spot. By following these steps, you can ensure that your aloe plant will thrive in its new pot.
Aloe vera and root rot
Well, root rot is the main reason for an aloe plant to slowly die. The roots of an aloe plant start to rot when there is an excessive supply of water and the soil doesn’t drain well. Fungal infection is another reason for root rot.
As healthy aloe roots begin to rot, they can no longer absorb nutrients for the plant from the soil. Consequently, the leaves of unhealthy aloe plant turn yellow or brown in color, lose their sheen, and eventually die. However, if you treat the root rot before it spreads too much, it is possible to save your aloe plant.
The first sign of root rot is the leaves turning yellow. If you see the color of the leaves fading and any part of the aloe plant becoming mushy, it’s definitely root rot. Take action immediately to prevent root rot and save your plant.
Saving an aloe plant from root rot
You need to go through the steps given below to revive your plant.
- First, remove the aloe plant gently from its pot. If you twist the pot, it will slowly detach from the soil. This way, you can pull the pot away from the plant. Instead, moving the aloe plant too much will damage the plant, which is already suffering.
- Now that you’ve removed the aloe from its pot, try to loosen the soil around its roots so that you can check the extent of the damage.
- You can identify the rotting roots by their mushy texture and black color. You’ll have to remove all the damaged parts of the root and leave behind only the healthy ones.
- To remove the damaged roots, use sharp, sterilized scissors or a knife. If you see that the entire root ball is infected, make sure you completely clear it away.
- After you’re done with the roots, examine the other parts of the plant. Cut off the dying leaves.
- Now, it’s time to replant your plant in a clean pot with well-draining grainy soil. Repotting can be done immediately if there are a few healthy roots left on the plant. On the other hand, if you’ve removed the entire root ball, you should allow the cut to harden over before you repot the plant. Leave your plant in a warm place for several days.
- Before repotting your aloe, slightly mist the new soil. However, avoid watering for a week or so after repotting.
Saving aloe plants that turn brown
Aloe vera plants turn brown primarily because of too much soil moisture or sunburn.
If too much moisture is the reason, you’ve overwatered the aloe plant. However, you can save it. It’s not actually that hard. All you need to do is wait until 75% of the soil feels dry.
If you cannot recover the plant this way, you can try the next method. Removing the aloe plant from the pot. Get rid of the wet soil in the pot. Examine the roots and using a sterilized knife or scissors, cut off the black and soggy parts of the roots. Add some dry soil to the pot and replace the plant in the pot.
If you notice that your aloe plant is suffering from sunburn, remember that aloe plants cannot adapt to extremely hot conditions all of a sudden just like they cannot tolerate cold environments. Aloe vera plants thrive in full sun, but if you suddenly move them from shade to sunlight, you can expect a sunburned aloe plant.
Brown spots on the leaves turning reddish or brown, and softening of the leaves are typical signs that your aloe plant has been sunburned. To save your dying aloe plant from sunburn, you can follow a few steps.
- Remove the aloe plant from intense sunlight immediately. However, make sure you don’t deprive it of the sun completely. Place it in a shadier area. Expert gardeners recommend morning sunlight, followed by afternoon shade.
- While aloe vera plants don’t require frequent watering, a good shower is crucial for a burnt plant. Ensure you pour some water on the plant.
- Be sure that the pot has adequate drainage holes to drain excess water.
- Remove leaves that are damaged, because you cannot revive them. Damaged leaves can no longer photosynthesize.
- If only a small portion of the leaf is burned, you don’t have to cut off the whole leaf. The damaged part doesn’t further damage the plant. What you can do is wait for new growth. You can then get rid of the damaged part of the plant.
Can an aloe plant freeze? If so, what should I do?
Yes, an aloe plant can freeze at extremely cold temperatures. If you observe that your aloe has frozen, immediately shift the plant to a bright and warm spot. However, make sure you avoid direct sunlight.
Don’t water the plant for a week. The damaged parts will dry out during this time. Once the frozen parts have dried out, you can remove the damaged parts if any. If your aloe plant looks highly damaged, you should remove it from the pot and inspect the roots. If you find infected roots, carefully cut them out before you repot the plant in another pot with a fresh potting mix.
Your aloe has recovered from cold damage when you notice new green growth on your plant.
How to care for an aloe plant?
Well, the best way to maintain healthy aloe plants is to avoid any sort of damage in the first place. You should be well aware of the preferred environmental conditions the plant requires and how to take good care of it.
Just like a lot of other house plants, aloe vera plants are low maintenance. They belong to the succulent family; in other words, their leaves can store water. So obviously, you don’t have to water your aloe plant frequently. It is sufficient if you water it every two to three weeks. Make sure you check the soil before you water your aloe vera leaves and plants, and do it only if the top layer of the soil has completely dried out. Moreover, you must allow the excess water in the soil to drain away so that the roots don’t rot.
Place your aloe plant in a spot that receives bright indirect sunlight. However, direct sunlight often burns the leaves. To avoid dirt building up on the aloe leaves, you can wipe them every now and then. In addition, every few years, when the plants outgrow the pot, remember to repot it.
Conclusion
If you are wondering how to save an aloe plant, here’s a recap of the important points to help you out:
- Root rot is the main reason for the aloe vera plant dying. You can identify root rot by the yellow or brown, mushy leaves. Removing the damaged parts and repotting the plant can save it. To avoid root rot, you should water the plant less and have well-draining soil.
- When aloe vera plants are kept in the shade for a long time, they tend to droop. Six hours of sunlight are necessary to prevent drooping.
- Sunburn can also cause the aloe vera plant to die. So, you should avoid moving your aloe plant from shade to sun all of a sudden.
- The bottom line is that you can save your aloe by replicating its natural environment with infrequent watering, full sun, and gritty, well-draining soil.
