The Aloe plant is succulent and belongs to the species Genus Aloe. An easy-to-care-for succulent that looks beautiful and is an excellent indoor plant. It thrives in a location with bright indirect sunlight or (artificial light). However, if you have been growing a new aloe plant or re-growing the one that you have not taken care of it for a very long time, which is probably dying, there are some keys to support the plant to revive & thrive again.
Unlike any other plants, aloe plants also require care and a proper potting supply to grow. These plants do not need enough span attention as they are succulent. But sometimes, improper lighting or watering causes the plant to dry out or turn its fleshy leaves yellow.
If you are concerned about – how to save a dying aloe plant? Here are some critical planting and caring tips to help recover the plant to thrive again.
How to Save a Dying Aloe Plant?
Let’s examine some important and evident factors that are subtle signs that your aloe plant is dying, and it is time to save it!
1. Don’t leave Your Aloe to Get More Sunburns. Reposition it
Move your aloe plant to a shady area and diffused light (indirect sunlight). This will stop your plant from getting sunburns. Aloe vera grows well in proper sunlight, but too much light is a reason for it to die. It will dry out and develop yellow leaves from exposure to direct sunshine.
2. Expose The Aloe Plant to the Sun
To ensure your aloe plant doesn’t die, expose it to sunlight. Too less of sunlight can also kill the plant. Aloe vera thrives under the sun, making them more fleshy and healthy. If your aloe vera plant has been resting in a damp spot for a long time, it is time to shine some light on it.
The plant should be exposed to daylight for at least 4-6 hours. New aloe saplings will require 15 hours of daylight, but the dying ones need not be over 6. Without proper sunlight, your succulent plant stretches and loses its looks. It requires sunlight but is susceptible to direct sunlight; ensure to position it well somewhere.
3. Minimize or Maximize Watering if The Aloe Plant is Drying Up or Wilting
Watering is vital. Over-watering or under-watering might be why your plant is dying. The aloe plant is the most rigid plant that doesn’t die easily and grows happily in rough conditions as well. It stores water in leaves & therefore doesn’t require regular watering.
However, over-watering or under-watering leads to root rot or the stem drying up or browning of the leaves, a sign of dying aloe.
Pots with suitable drainage holes allow the extra water to escape, which prevents it from being waterlogged. Make sure your pot has holes to help recover from overwatering.
4. Cut off Dead Leaves
We must cut any remaining dead leaves off from the plants, as they tend to draw nutrients from other healthy portions of the plant. There is a high chance of infecting the healthy plant, which means your plant will die. To prevent this, we must chop off the dead plants.
Cutting back on dead leaves fosters the growth of new aloe leaves and aids in the plant’s recovery. Be careful not to cut broken leaves too soon; it is better to let them sit for a few days. These will enable the leaves to form calluses, which will aid in the outside of the leaves becoming harder.
5. Examine The Aloe Leaves
Succulent plants like aloe retain water in their leaves, but if the plant doesn’t get enough water, the leaves start to droop or become nearly translucent. However, root rotting, which is brought on by over-watering, might also be indicated by this symptom. The most crucial step is to look at the plant’s last watering date.
You must water the plant to restore it to its standard form if you notice that it has been several days since the last watering. However, if the plant has recently been watered, it should be checked for root rot by removing the soil. Aloe Vera is a plant that talks and will let you know what it needs before it even reaches the point of death.
6. Look Out For Root Rot
Even with all the right circumstances, if your plant is yellowing or withering, check the root rot to see how many of them are healthy. Root rot is characterized by mushy roots, which must be cut out. The plant can be saved if there are many healthy roots and only a tiny number of mushy roots.
It would be best if you use a sharp knife to chop off the dead roots to remove the rotten ones. To prevent spreading the virus, make sure you clip them all.
7. Replace The Potting Soil
The aloe plant doesn’t need a lot of nutrients from the soil like other plants do. The soil’s lack of nutrients could cause your plant’s demise. Unhealthy aloe vera will have pale leaves that eventually turn light brown. Even with adequate irrigation, leaves may still dry out and wilt.
You might need to switch the potting soil for healthier soil to treat the sick aloe plant by supplying it with the minerals. Remember that drainage is essential even while looking for richer soil. Water may travel naturally through the ground, ensuring that the Aloe Vera plant receives all the nutrients it needs.
8. Cut Off Healthy Remaining Leaves For Propagation
Despite all the methods used to treat your dying aloe plant, the health condition can still worsen. As they wilt, the leaves gradually lose their color and become distorted. The plant might not be saved in time. The issue may be buried beneath the dirt concerning this. rot root.
The best solution is to remove any healthy leaves still on the plant so we can multiply them. Aloe Vera can swiftly grow by cutting its leaves, which can be the only method to preserve it. Cutting a few healthy leaves could also help create new plants at no additional expense.
Some plants stay in the shade for too long, weakening their leaves’ ability to stand back up. No amount of sunlight will save them at this point. The only practical means of keeping such plants from dying is through propagation.
Planting The Right Way: Repotting or New (Before & Aftercare)
Reviving a dying aloe plant begins with understanding how to plant it properly (in repotting).
Before
- Choosing the right type of container for your aloe succulent is vital & recommended. Pots that are porous materials like the terra cotta will allow the soil to dry in between waterings to prevent root rot and also prevent it from tipping over because of its heavy material. Plastic pots can also be used and have no restrictions, but they will keep more moisture, which is unsuitable for plants.
- Pots with drainage holes are crucial. Draining holes will allow the extra water to escape and dry the soil. The soil must be moist but not soggy, and pots with no draining holes will kill your plant eventually from rot and wilting—a common cause of death in any plant.
- If your aloe plant is not sitting deep into the soil inside the pot, you want to ensure it does. So select a container deep enough to fit the plant’s stem (only if your plant has a branch). The entire stem of the plant must be under the soil.
Warning: Plants that sit too deep will kill themselves because of the rotting of their stem.
- Aloe plants require a well-draining potting mix, as they are succulent. Avoid gardening soil at all costs. Good potting soil must have perlite and vermiculite with beneficial microbes.
Aftercare
- Sometimes we are tempted to check whether or not the plant (roots) is okay, which leads to touching and makes us want to repot again. Remember, repotting, again and again, won’t do any good to your plant but will allow it to kill efficiently.
Warning: Plants get transplant shock from repotting that requires months or years to recover. Potting it, again and again, kills that plant.
- Watering is necessary according to what the soil looks like. If the top layer is dry, do not pour water immediately. Take your index finger and dig deep into the ground to check if the second layer is moist. Water is not needed if the second layer is wet.
- Watering the plant depends on the location, pot, and humidity. If the soil dries quickly, it requires watering often.
- Plants dislike being touched. So refrain from touching them again and again. Water your aloe vera plant infrequently but not profoundly. Ensure to keep the soil moist after watering and not soggy. If you feel that the soil is not allowed to dry out before watering again, it will cause root rot.
Planting Mistakes to Avoid With Aloe
Dying Due to Neglect
The number one reason plants die is because of negligence. Admit it: You occasionally overlook watering your plants. We each do. Here’s the thing: most plants require weekly watering. While certain species may immediately punish you if you neglect water, others are more understanding. If your dying aloe plant successfully survives, your neglect might kill it.
Plant parents can occasionally go too far and harm their plants because they care for them too much. The most terrible cause of mortality is, by far, being over-mothered. The fact is that houseplants make simple pets. If you find yourself giving your plants daily water, you’ve gone too far.
You Blindly Follow Water Instructions
If you hear from someone or read somewhere, most plants require watering every other week. Never mind their advice or anyone else before you examine the soil. It’s assumed that you have ideal daylight for reading care instructions.
However, one of the essential factors in deciding how quickly the moisture in the soil will absorb is the amount of sunshine your plants receive. Before feeding the soil, you must check the moisture content. The soil is probably not ready for extra water and may have been over-watered if the top inch of soil still feels moist after your last watering.
No plant enjoys being excessively moist for an extended period. Some prefer always to stay damp, while others prefer to entirely or partially dry out.
Over-Watering
One of the main reasons indoor plants die is over-watering. The plant will photosynthesize slowly because lighting conditions are never as favorable inside a home as they are in a greenhouse. Constant watering prevents the plant from taking up water through the leaves. This can quickly result in bugs, mold, bacteria, fading foliage, and root rot.
Under Watering
However, it’s very simple to drown your plants by either skipping a watering or not giving them enough water when you do. To get an idea, picture placing a third of the water in your plant’s pot. That’s a reasonable estimate of how much it can support (but you should always research your plant to make sure).
Tip: In case the soil is waterlogged, use a tissue to absorb the water from the top.
Takeaway
It is difficult to save a dying aloe plant or leave it to die. Saving takes a lot of effort, even though it looks effortless. Keeping all the essential factors in your mind will help your plant survive and will have a chance to live.