An Aloe vera is likely to die, because of rot, which has been linked to fungus growth. This succulent plant suffers from different root rots caused by negligence, wrong soil type, unmatching environment, and in some cases combination of all these factors. When the immortal plant turns dark brown, has mushy root tips, and lower leaves, take time to save your garden.
So, how do you save a rotting aloe vera? You need to take fast and definite steps: immediately remove the aloe from its pot, repot the aloe vera to a better pot, and prepare appropriate soil. Always follow the right replanting process and a correct watering schedule.
Aloe plants are easy to maintain, but this depends on whether it is planted indoors or outdoors, regardless of the place, maintaining loose soil will save a rotting aloe. Show your love for your plant by taking care and inspecting it regularly.
In this post, we will enumerate steps to follow of how to save a rotting aloe vera. Read on to learn one or more valuable lessons of the things you need to do to save the plant.
How do you realize the aloe plant is rotting?
You can learn of plant rot if you start seeing some brown, water-soaked spots on the leaves, soft, oozy leaves that are drying up. For rot to be observable in the leaves, much damage has occurred in the roots. Immediate action is required, and you need to act fast to salvage the situation.
Removing the Aloe From its Pot is Critical
Immediately, remove the plant from the pot, brush off as much dust as you can from the root, and remove all the dark or dark brown roots because they are already infected or dead.
Take a thorough observation of the center of the plant. If it is still healthy, remove all the black or brown section on the bottom. If the crown is severely damaged, it’s too late to save the plant; start a new plant again using any green or plump section of the plant.
Repotting will offer a new lease of life to the Aloe Vera
After you have done all the corrections in the plant, it requires a new environment. You can undoubtedly clean the old pot and plant it there, but you don’t want to take such chances. Planting the aloe in the same pot could lead to the development of the same fungus. I mean the same infection.
Ensure that the pot you want to place the plant meets all the qualifications. The pot should be big enough to hold the aloe in place and free up the roots. The pot chosen should be made of a porous material that allows the excess water to drain more quickly.
The size of the aloe plant should determine the kind of pot used. The pot should be one-third more significant than the aloe plant. If the pot is too big, the soil will soak more water than required. The pot chosen should have good drainage. It should not hold water for such a long time, soaking the roots.
Consider the Soil you want to Use
When replanting your aloe, make consideration of the soil you want to use. Aloe does best in soil that drains quickly but always has some proper moisture retention. The best medium for the aloe plant is made from a proper mixture of sand and soil.
When the aloe plant is dying, change the soil before replanting. Sandy soil is suitable for drainage but again retains little water for your plant to absorb before the container completely drains. It can be mixed with some inorganic materials for improved drainage and nutrients necessary for the plant’s growth.
It is good to know that you should not use potting soils that are added with fertilizer. Most succulent plants, including aloe vera, respond poorly to too much fertilizer because their nutrition requirement is low. You can mix one part sterile soil with one part sterile sand and add some stones.
Know how to Replant Your Aloe
Proper replanting of the aloe plant is one way of saving it from rot. Immediately you remove the rotten roots, disinfect the remaining roots with a charcoal, fungicide solution or potassium to prevent further infection. Leave the plant for a day so that the roots can dry up.
When the plant is ready for planting, don’t forget the depth that the plant had. Bury it in the same depth that it had in the previous pot to stop the root and the moisture troubles. An aloe vera with a green and healthy crown can be replanted right away but in a new pot and new soil.
If the crown is already damaged, the best you can do is taking a green section and start a new plant. The section to be used should be at least a ½ inch from the last rot section. Let the wanted part scrub for a night before replanting. When planting, plant the cutting at least 1 inch below the soil’s surface to enable them to root and draw water from the soil.
Set a Better Watering Schedule
Here, you don’t want to repeat the same mistake that could lead to root rot again. If the above details are in place, it’s time to be careful with the watering. Before watering, ensure that the moisture level is 1 to 2 inches below the topsoil.
Watering the plant is dependent on the weather conditions. It may take you longer to water the plant during the winter and more frequent during the summer. When the plant is young, it will need more water than an older plant which have already adapted to drier conditions.
Aloe plants should only be watered if the soil is dry. You should water deeply until the pot starts draining some water with the holes at the bottom. This is because succulent plants are known to take in a lot of water at one time.
Understand the Surrounding of the Plant
Whether it is indoor or outdoor, make sure you know how the surrounding of your plant looks like. Ensure that your replanted aloe has the right lighting and proper temperature to grow. Though they require some proper light to grow, avoid direct sunlight.
Light is good, but direct sunlight can burn the leaves of the plant. If the aloe plant is planted indoors, prevent the leaves from touching the windowpane, which is dangerous for the plant. The plant should be in a place that receives maximum lighting but away from the windowpane, intensifying the sun.
During the winter season, you can move the indoor aloe plant outside to receive some light but take it in at night when the temperature drops. You can also complement the plant with artificial lighting in the house.
During summer, you can let your plant absorb some sun but for some hours to strengthen the leaves. When the plant is in a windowpane, ensure that you rotate the plant to get the light on all of its sides.
Always Ensure the Soil is Loose.
The soil structure of the aloe plant should be maintained. Watering is important. But when going to water the plant, ensures that the density of the soil is good too. Even with a container that drains water well, compacted soil holds more water than loose soil.
The soil density should be strong enough to maintain the plant’s growth but not so tight to prevent good drainage. This problem can be solved by removing some soil from the pot and adding some loose soil. Adding some small stones can also help to loosen the soil.
However, if the plant has stayed for too long in one pot soil, you may decide to repot the plant to a completely different soil. Getting proper soil density will prevent water from clogging in the container and ensure that air moves freely in the roots of the plant.
Inspect the Plant Regularly
Keeping a close eye on the plant is essential. You should regularly check on the plant’s leaves if they are developing some spots or if the root system is healthy. Ensure that any minor symptom from the plant is dealt with immediately.
After replanting your aloe, ensure that the plant is experiencing better conditions and that it is healthy. You should also check on the possible insects and pests that tend to affect the aloe plant’s leaves.
One of the easiest ways of inspecting the roots is by smelling them. Healthy roots have a typical root smell. If the roots are rotting, they will have foul solid and pungent smell. Roots that have been affected tend to feel soft and seem like they are water-soaked.
Bottom Line
Prevention is better than cure. Before rotting occurs, you can take good practices to ensure that the plant grows into a healthy plant. Before purchasing the plant or bringing it home for planting, ensure you have read on the appropriate conditions of growing aloe plants.
When doing corrections on your plant like trimming some parts, you should use gloves because the sap produced may irritate some people’s skin. If all this is successful and the plant has matured, know how to make your plant flower in its proper season.
Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
