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15.2.07

Aloe Vera Houseplant Care

Aloe vera or what is commonly cared "burn plant" is one of the easiest succulents to grow. I consider it the Ficus of the succulent world because it's grown everywhere. I'm never surprised to see it sitting in windows of homes, restaurants and shops near me. From my readings of various gardening forums and results that bring people to my gardening blog I am surprised just how much trouble people have growing it. It's an easy houseplant.

"Why is my Aloe Vera dying?"

Caring for your Aloe vera houseplant can be very easy if you take into consideration where the plant comes from and what the conditions are that will make this houseplant thrive. This plant is native to the Mediterranean and that's an important clue to successfully grow this houseplant. It comes from a hot, dry and sunny area-so give it heat, sun and don't water it so much. Resist the urge to water it every time you walk past your Aloe vera-your plant will thank you.



"Why are my Aloe Vera leaves mushy?"

Chances are that you're watering this plant way too much cut back on watering to prevent rot. In the winter it may become dormant and your continued watering to try to perk up your houseplant will only result in death. If you live in a cold climate like I do don't leave your Aloe vera next to the window overnight when the temperatures drop drastically.

"How to repot Aloe vera."

Aloe vera can be allowed to get root bound; meaning that you can let it grow in the same pot until the roots fill the pot. Repotting of Aloe vera should be done when the plant becomes top heavy; meaning the plant starts to tip over because the part(s) above the soil are getting heavy. Find a pot that is deeper than it is wider. You can let the pups or "Aloe vera babies" grow in the pot with the mother until they start to get large. Once they're big enough remove them because they sap energy from the mother. Soil for Aloe vera should be well draining and not retain a lot of moisture.

This really is an easy plant and with proper husbandry you can have a thriving plant that you're proud of. Here in Chicago I've seen them reach 3 feet in a pot sitting in a window and I've even seen them blooming. One time I was surprised to see an Aloe vera blooming in a north facing window of a beauty salon.

Looking for more information on growing aloe vera? Do a search in "Google For Gardeners." If you like my blog consider subscribing to the feed by clicking the orange square in the upper right hand corner of this page and subscribe in your favorite reader so you can read new posts from your homepage. Or click the link below of your favorite social bookmarking site.

Curious about what other gardening realted things I've blogged about? Use the search box on the left hand side of this page that says "search my blogs." It's hosted by Google and searches my three gardening blogs. If you have a question or comment right click the link below this post that reads "comments" and sound off about Aloe veras.

89 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:05 PM

    Great blog. My aloe vera plant is so sprawling I have difficulty setting it in a windowsill where it will receive enough light. The spikes (leaves? stems?) protrude so much they get pressed against the window. What to do? Is trimming them a bit a bad idea?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Sam,

    It would be a matter of cosmetics and not really something that would be detrimental to the plant. But if the leaves are getting in the way you can remove the lower leaves. You may end up with a funny looking plant but it won't hurt them. You can use the goo stuff inside as a skin moisturizer. Remove the leaves from the stem of the plant and don't just cut the leaves in half, you'll just end up with an ugly scar.

    BTW I saw you have a blogger account. But your blogger profile can't be accessed. You probably did mean to do it that way but if you didn't one way to get visitors to your blog would be to sign into blogger using the "other" button. You can add your name and the url of your blog if you want people to visit it.

    Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:50 PM

    Thanks for the advice.

    I had a blog but deleted it. For some reason Blogger is still letting me use my account to post comments. I administrate the plant propagation group on Flickr and just got around to looking at the new messages. http://flickr.com/groups/plantpropagation/discuss/72157594453729282/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, yeah I think I'm a member of your group. I started one too that I started one also that I wanted to combine with this blog but haven't gotten around to doing much with it or even participating lately on flickr. I think I need an intern :) to help with uploading pics and stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember somewhere was a quote saying that if you killed an aloe, you don't deserve to grow plants? I want to say it was a "Native American" quote that started with "Aloe is the easiest plant in the world to care for but.." if you killed it, you don't deserve to be near plants or something. Oy, I can't find it on google.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LOL.

    It reminds me of when I worked in a bonsai nursery and people would come in and say "my bonsai died" and the owner would reply "No, it didn't die. You killed it. There's a big difference."

    Usually it was something easy to grow like a ficus.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:40 PM

    Hi
    Quick question...
    The leaves on my Aloe have become extremely thin and can no longer remain upright... am I under-watering?

    ssj

    ReplyDelete
  8. SSJ,

    Quick answer...

    Maybe?

    I'm not sure how much water you're giving or what your growing conditions are so to say "yes" would be too presumptuous. They could be shriveled because of too little water or if they're just getting thin and weak it could be from not enough light. Move it to a brighter area little by little if a quick drink of water doesn't make them perk back up.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:55 AM

    Thanks for the help..
    I'm sure it's a light issue now that you've mentioned it.
    I adopted the Aloe from a male friend who had been keeping it in his bathroom - tiny window.
    It's now sitting in one of the brightest areas of my own home, so should be just time needed to coax her back to health....

    Thanks again

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous2:46 PM

    Hey I have a quick question, is it possible to propergate an aloe from leaf cuttings? I read that it is then that it isnt. So I would like your help, If so how would I go about doing it?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi anon,

    As fas as I know it is suppose to be impossible to propagate an Aloe from a leaf cutting.

    Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi there - i "raise" aloe plants and would like to chime in on this one. It is possible to propagate from a cutting but there is a process and depending on what species of aloe you have, it may or may not work. First, you have to let the cut "heal" or harden. Be sure you start with a very healthy and succulent leaf. Once hardened, plant in a nutritious soil but DO NOT WATER. Keep this plant in the shade (not complete dark) so that the water in the leaf will be enough to sustain it. After a week - you can water, but only to lightly dampen the soil. (you may have to prop up the leaf with a stick or something while it attempts to root itself) As mentioned earlier, depending on what species of plant you have (as well as the season) this may take several weeks. Water only once a week - no more than that. If you see new growth on the leaf or offsets, you have succeeded in rooting your leaf. If it has been a few weeks and you are unsure, you can stick your finger in the soil and see if you can feel any roots.....

      Delete
  12. Anonymous5:44 PM

    Hello.

    My mum has just brought me a aloe vera plant from tenerife. It had been stored in a box with just the plant and the roots, no soil or anything. The ends of the plant were shriveling up a bit so Ive cut the brown dried out bits off, potted i and watered it. Im getting a bit worried though as it seems to be still shriveling up :-s What could I be doing wrong?

    Also ive planted it in a ceramic pot (I think, its that orange coloured type pot.) and the pot seems to be absorbing some of the water as it feels damp and you can see the pot is darker on the damp bits. :-s Whats that about? is it normal? and also would that affect the plant?

    Thanks

    Nat

    p.s I live in the UK so its not the sunniest of places :-(

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nat,

    Your Aloe could make it just fine. It is shriveling because some of the roots have probably died and it can't absorb enough water right now.

    What your noticing with the pot is normal and usually very beneficial when growing cacti and succulents because some of the water is absorbed into the pot. You can sit the whole pot in a tub of water and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes so that the pot and soil become saturated and the pot isn't absorbing all the water. Once you know it has received a good dose of water you can water normally.

    But try not to water too much after that because the plant is recovering from shock and like I said there aren't many roots to help it feed.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous12:57 PM

    Thanks for that. That all makes sense now. I did notice my plant only had 1 or 2 very dried out roots when i planted it. Ah right ok i was just worried that it wasnt right for the pot to absorb the water. The only bad thing I have notyiced about this though is that the pot has got white powdery stuff/white fluffy mould stuff growing on the outside of it because it is damp. :-s Will this damage the plant? and how do I stop it? it doesnt look very nice. :-(

    Nat :-)

    p.s Sorry about this im not very good at plant stuff.

    Thanks :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, I would also like go know about the white powdery stuff on the outside of my aloe vera's pot...is this normal? What is it and will it go away? Should I do something to help it?

      Delete
  15. Anonymous11:47 PM

    Hey, thanks for the help, but I have a question. My aloe vera plant has some funny leaves. They are spreading out where is looks like they're trying to dig into the soil and some of the lower ones are browning. It has one baby, and the leaves are spreading out and sticking straight out. I water it about 3/4 cup every other day. Am I doing something wrong?

    P.S. I live in an area that doesn't get that much snow or heat.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi again,

    It sounds like your plant isn't getting enough light and is getting too much water.

    My succulents are given nearly as much water in a year that you give them in a few months. Hold back on the watering is my suggestion and give it more light.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7:12 PM

    Okay, thanks! So is the aloe vera really poisonious? And also, I was wondering, about how big are they when they get the gel in them that soothes burns and cuts and bug-bites? Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous2:21 PM

    Mr. Brown Thumb,
    I have been having trouble with my aloe lately, usually it loves me, it even bloomed for me over the summer and gave me about 15 little ones I've been having to give to people because I don't know where I can put them. Unfourtunately, I accidently let it freeze, it summers outside, and a sudden freeze came up before I could move it inside. When I did get it inside, it was frozen, and after it thawed it became very wilted, and now it is giving off a smell of rotting, and oozing a dark brown liquid from the tips of it's leaves. There are still viable leaves in the very middle of the plant, but I'm concerned with trimming off the bad leaves and shocking it too much. Should I just give it up and let it go? I would like to try to get it healthy because I've had this one aloe for over 7 years.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Bridget,

    Thanks for the question. I've made a post for you. You can find it at this link: Rotting Leaves On Aloe Plant

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous7:45 PM

    Thanks for the help, I figured that's what I should do, but I've never had a problem like this before. I also wanted to say that I really enjoy your website, and I'm jealous of all the beautiful plants you have, especially the succulents and cacti, those are what like me the best. I'm doing a biology major, focusing on botany, so you can be sure that I'll be coming back here to drool all over the pictures of your plants. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:13 PM

    Dear Mrbrownthumb,
    I posted a few months ago about my plant turning into a stalk rather than a little grounds plant, and you said it wasn't getting enough light. I can't really rely on sunlight where I live right now, so I put a lamp over it, but then some of the leaves shriveled up. Is it in some dormant stage or soemthing? (It has one little baby plant sticking off of it and it's so stalkish it's 6 inches long. Also I was wondering if the little 'baby plants' could be taken off the main plant and planted like strawberries, or if it just sits there.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This was the perfect information for helping my husband's aloe plant at work. I bet it will perk up in no time now that he knows to water it less frequently. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous4:18 PM

    Dear Mr. Brown Thumb,

    I am a new owner to my Aloe plant. When i bought it, it was in was not in the best shape. I saw a black spot on one of his leaves (stems?). I dont know what to do. Do i cut it or just let it be. I water it once a week, when the soil is dry and keep it in full sun. Also, i move it to a warmer place in my house when it gets cold.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous12:44 PM

    My aloe vera is huge with many babies. However, the first aloe has now gotten so heavy it hange out of the pot. Can I cut off the main plant and put it in another pot?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous3:55 PM

    I have a fairly larger Aloe Vera, it was healthy when I got a few months ago but now the larger leaves have serious dried up brown tips. Is this from under-watering? I know that aloe don't too much watering so I haven't overwatered.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7:07 PM

    I have a question about my aloe. It was doing great and summer came so I thought it would be a good idea to put it outside... Anyway it did not like it and now many of the leaves are thin, soft, brown and bent in half. I was using little sticks to help prop the leaves up because they are so bent. The inner new leaves look heathy but I am not sure if I should just let it sit or give up hope. Also, I water only when the dirt (cactus soil) is dry.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sorry for having ignored the comments here.

    For those that have large plants yes, you can repot the babies or the mother plant in a good cactus soil you can buy at the garden center.

    Dwight I know you left a comment a long time ago but your plant probably got too much water or not enough light.

    Anonymous,

    You're watering is fine. Your plant probably just got very stressed when you changed the environment and some of the leaves got sunburned from being put in bright light too soon.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous9:14 PM

    Hello, I was just wondering about the light conditions for this plant. I always hear and read differing opinions on this. It makes sense that it would do well in lots of sun, so why do many people feel that it should be in the shade if it is indoors? My best friend said she heard that you should like hibernate it and keep it in full sun for most of the time but for a few months each year put it in a very dark place. I've been searching websites and they all have different opinions about the light issue.

    Also, lots of sources say it is okay to put it outside during the summer. I live near Chicago and I did this a few years ago with a small species and it died. Now I have a larger type and I was wondering if it would be beneficial to move it in and out or should I just keep it inside? I have tons of snake plant and I have been bringing those in and out for the last few years and while they grow normally, the only plant I've ever had blossom was one that was always kept inside. That was about a year and half after I bought the plant and since I've been brining them outside (which I thought would cause them to blossom more) not a single one has produced anymore flowers. So, I'm wondering if for some reason these types of plants might like adjust to their indoor conditions making it actually harmfull to move them in and out. Or maybe it has something to do with the climate in my area. Or do I just need to take better care of them and make sure to bring them in every time it
    rains or drops below a certain temp. at night.

    And finally, what is the difference between the small varieties and the larger ones? One of my friends told me that they are the same and the little ones are just younger, but I read stuff about different species and how the ONLY one with the medicinal properties is one specific species (which I'm hoping is the one I just purchased). Whenever I see any type of aloe plant anywhere, I've always searched for the species and I don't seem to ever see it listed.

    Sorry to ask so many questions! I've been searching the web about this forever and I don't find enough consistent or resourced information.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous2:58 AM

    hi I'm just asking about my aloe vera plant has very thick leaves or whatever u want to call them they seem to be hitting the bot and pressing down on it what do i do cut them off?

    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous,

    I have never heard about putting an Aloe in a dark space for hibernating. Low light is one sure way to kill off your plant. You should always give it as much light as possible when you're growing them indoors. But you could cut back on the watering to mimic the dry seasons that Aloes experience in nature but generally speaking give it lots of light.

    Putting plants outside will actually be better because they get to experience the elements like they do in nature. The reason the one inside flowered could be because since it was inside you watered or fertilized it more regularly than the ones outside.

    There are a lot of hybrids of them so there can be some that are smaller or maybe crossed with something like a gasteria. But generally if it looks like a smaller Aloe it is just a small Aloe. I'm not sure if any of the Aloes that get crossed have any medicinal properties but I doubt it.

    Anonymous2,

    Yes, you could just cut them off or peel them away from the stem. It shouldn't hurt anything as long as you don't damage the main stem.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous,

    I have never heard about putting an Aloe in a dark space for hibernating. Low light is one sure way to kill off your plant. You should always give it as much light as possible when you're growing them indoors. But you could cut back on the watering to mimic the dry seasons that Aloes experience in nature but generally speaking give it lots of light.

    Putting plants outside will actually be better because they get to experience the elements like they do in nature. The reason the one inside flowered could be because since it was inside you watered or fertilized it more regularly than the ones outside.

    There are a lot of hybrids of them so there can be some that are smaller or maybe crossed with something like a gasteria. But generally if it looks like a smaller Aloe it is just a small Aloe. I'm not sure if any of the Aloes that get crossed have any medicinal properties but I doubt it.

    Anonymous2,

    Yes, you could just cut them off or peel them away from the stem. It shouldn't hurt anything as long as you don't damage the main stem.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Nice information about planting and caring Aloe Vera...Thanks for the same...

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous10:55 AM

    Not sure if your still answering questions on aloes but!! I recently purchased two aloes, about small medium size, and they were very healthy at purchase, i put them in an extremy sunny south facing window. so much so their leaves usually get hot to the touch. the inner leaves seem to like it and are actually growing somewhat rapidly, and the middle leaves also seem to no be suffering any effecs, however some of the outer most leaves are getting mushy and turning yellow, starting at the tips. Im concerned, and if its because the plant is getting too much sun, is it possible that the new leaves growing in will aclimate to my super sunny window? im having a hard time getting plants to not over heat in my window. I live in michigan by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous10:56 AM

    Not sure if your still answering questions on aloes but!! I recently purchased two aloes, about small medium size, and they were very healthy at purchase, i put them in an extremy sunny south facing window. so much so their leaves usually get hot to the touch. the inner leaves seem to like it and are actually growing somewhat rapidly, and the middle leaves also seem to no be suffering any effecs, however some of the outer most leaves are getting mushy and turning yellow, starting at the tips. Im concerned, and if its because the plant is getting too much sun, is it possible that the new leaves growing in will aclimate to my super sunny window? im having a hard time getting plants to not over heat in my window. I live in michigan by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hello.
    Great site.
    Quick question.

    I have a huge aloe vera plant in my backyard. It's about 20 years old and suddenly some flowers have popped out of the plant. My neighbour told me that that is a definite sign that my plant is going to die soon. Also, I just noticed that the lower leaves have started to wither.

    Is my neighbour correct and is there anything I can do to save my beloved plant.

    Thanks,
    Ron

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous12:55 PM

    Hi,

    I relly hope you're still answering questions, because I have a brown thumb and this had been one of my only plant successes...

    I got a baby Aloe about half a year ago. We are keeping it in a sunny window and are only watering when the leaves start to feel mushy, then we soak it (maybe once every two weeks, depending). It seemed to like this treatment and has grown a lot, but its lower leaves are not growing as much as the middle leaves, and they seem to be perpetually a little soft, and thinner than usual. Several of the lower leaves seem to have dried out at the tips (they're concave and hard) and one of those tips seems to have brown blotches in it when you look through it into the light.
    -Should I cut this tip off?
    -Is it normal for the lower leaves to not grow as much, and not to absorb as much water as the rest of the plant - and if so, which leaves should I be feeling to determine water needs?
    -I have not given the plant any food. Do I need to look for special succulent fertilizer? And should I wait for spring to feed it?

    Please help!
    -Kristen

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous with the yellowing tips. I don't think it is because of the sun. If it was a problem due to too much light the plant would dry and the leaves would turn brittle. Mushy leaves area a sign of too much watering. BTW if you're having problems with plant overheating in your window because of the sun try placing matchstick blinds between the plants and window. During the brightest/hottest hours lower your blinds to keep your plants cool.

    Ron, Aloes don't die after flowering. Rest assured it will continue to grow and flower.

    Kristen,

    You water your plants kind of how I do it. I don't water succulents until they start to shrink. Yes, the lower leaves not growing/dieing off is normal it happens with lots of plants as they grow older. They're shaded by newer leaves above and die and the newer leaves one day become the older leaves at the bottom and the cycle continues. You can get a general purpose cactus & succulent fertilizer and fertilize in the spring/summer.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous9:04 AM

    Thanks,
    Kristen

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous2:46 PM

    i have a couple questions about my aloe vera plant. my dad is a paint contactor and found it in an apartment so i dont know what kind of soil it has or anything. it is begining to cool down so i brought in in and set in the floor in my bedroom. it is in a pot that is probably about 12'' in diameter. i dont really have a window that i can set it "in" but will it do better if it is sitting in the floor, below a window rather than just against a wall? it is still small, but i think it is somewhat healthy, but one of the leaves is green, but is thiny and flimsy, while the others are a little bigger and mor firm and round. what am i doing wrong?

    ps. i live in texas and i water it just a little once or twice a week.

    ReplyDelete
  40. anonymous,

    It will do better the closer it is to a window. If the pot is too big to "set" in a window consider a plant stand, set it on crate or a stack of old books. Whatever you do just get it closer to the sunlight than sitting on the floor. The further away from the light (window in this case) the weaker the light is.

    I think maybe you're watering a bit too much. Don't water on a schedule water when the plant needs it.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous5:26 PM

    Me and my dad had this one big aloe and he didn't think it looked to healthy, so he got rid of it and kept it's 5 little babies.
    Now the little babies are getting bigger and they don't look to healthy, the bottom leaves are shriveled up and dead, and the upper ones are mostly shriveled and look really unhappy. I don't know how much my dad has watered them, but we know it hasn't been for a while. also the leaves that arn't dead yet are more brownish-orangeish then green. I feel sad for the plant, but I don't know what to do... And the leaves, they are shriveling form the tips down to the center. that's what my dad says.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous,

    Sounds like your dad is not watering it enough. Give it some water.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Excellent Aloe Vera Care information and an excellent blog overall. If anyone is interested in taking a look at some wonderful Aloe Vera Products feel free to visit our Community and drop us a line.

    ReplyDelete
  44. "Chances are that you're watering this plant way too much cut back on watering to prevent rot. In the winter it may become dormant and your continued watering to try to perk up your houseplant will only result in death."

    Oooops. Will it survive if it was in this state? Should I actively try to dry out the soil? One of the stems is mooshy where it was laying on the edge of the pot, but firm elsewhere, and the others are all firm. It's also kind of pale colored. It's just a baby, so there are only 4 stems, and the mooshy one is the longest.

    ReplyDelete
  45. NewWife7:08 PM

    I was given an a few aloe plants by my new Grandmother-In-Law, about 5 plants total, 2 large 1 medium and 2 pups in one pot. They were looking kind of poor so I repotted them all. Between my brown thumb and my cat’s ruff love for the plants they are not doing so well now. I originally potted them in a generic soil, as advised but the Home Depot garden associate. The bottom leaves turned a yellow/brown and wilted. I then went out and purchased a cactus potting soil. They were doing much better after a trim of the dying leaves and a second potting. I have placed the plants on a table away from the cat but once again they are not looking so hot. The lower leaves are yellow/brown and drooping and the tips of the center ones are turning brown. I try to water the plants only when the soil is dry and even then I don’t give them a lot of water. Between my cat and I we are killing these poor plants. I can’t bear to tell my husband’s Grandma that I killed the gift she gave me. Please help!!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anonymous4:00 AM

    Hi. I have two aloe vera plants. They have both flowered for the last few years. I was wondering how to collect the seeds because the younger one seems to be mutant! I bought it as a cutting off of two men on the side of the road, so I don't know much about it. It is now about three-and-a-third feet (just over a metre) tall and wide and still growing rapidly. Its flower spikes stick up higher. They branch out to a few large, dense bunches of flowers. I live in the southern hemisphere and it is coming into flower even though it is now the middle of winter (though it usually flowers in late spring to mid summer). It is also growing up like a palm tree propped on a woody trunk and it has never sent up any side-shoots. Its leaves are a massive 22.4 inches (56.9cm)in length. I have relied on the rain to water it because I've read that the chlorine in tap water causes severe long-term damage to succulent plants. Is this true for aloe-veras? Please tell me how to collect the seeds because I want a way to propagate more. Whay is this aloe vera growing so differently? Is it even an aloe vera?

    ReplyDelete
  47. I have a baby aloe plant that came from my great grandmothers very old plant. I have had this plant about a year now and it keeps uprooting itself. I have staked the plant up to make it stronger, I have moved it to a different room to see if lighting was an issue but nothing seems to be helping. I can't find any info about anyone having this kind of trouble. If anyone has any suggestions I sure could use the help.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Anonymous,

    Sorry I can't help you with the seeds as I've never gotten any.

    Meg,

    If it falls over try potting it into a heavier pot?

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous9:59 PM

    Hello!!! Call me Lyndsay,
    I have an aloe Vera I bought from this guy down the street, he had a bunch of them he was selling at his store, advicing everyone to make them into tea etc... when I took it home, well it was freezing outside, I kept it wrapped as best I could but somehow it broke one of the tiny leaves at the centre, the new sprouts that it has in abundance, I thought nothing of it and followed all advice from your page, which I looked up that day :)

    Well now the once sprawling leaves are turning upwards, when I first got it, they were spread out wide about a foot in diameter two months ago, now they are slowly reaching for the sky and the plant is about as wide as the pot it is in, also some of the tips are turning brown and growing weaker, not as 'rock hard' as they were when I first bought them, the are squishier, am I killing this thing? Or is it just re-adapting or something? I haven't trimmed it or anything, even the broken leaf is still proped up against another leaf. I even let the water sit (for afew days usually) before I watered the thing so that the clorien isn't so strong. I water it about once every week because the air in our apartment is very dry, all other plants must be watered every other day to survive. It was adviced that I repot the plant, but your advice above told me it wasn't such a good idea.

    If you could help me out that would be awesome! Thank you for your time, and have a great day!

    Is there any advice you can give? Is this normal?

    ReplyDelete
  50. Lyndsay,

    It sounds like your aloe may be under stress from the move and may not be getting enough light. If the air is dry make a humidity tray out of an old food container, set some pebbles or stones in the container about an inch deep and fill with water. The pot should rest on top of the pebbles or stones but not be getting wet.

    If the plant isn't looking good I'd say hold off on re-potting it because it will just contribute to the stress the plant is under.

    Good luck with your plant.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Anonymous9:14 AM

    thank you Mr.Brownthumb, I followed your advice and my plant is now much greener and healthier looking, I waited to make sure it was getting better and not dying before reporting back (so as to avoid jinxing) thanks again, your advice was awesome and have a great day!

    Lyndsay

    ReplyDelete
  52. Lyndsay,

    Thanks for the report. Glad you Aloe is doing better and good luck with it.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Hi there.

    I see this thread is old but I need help in reviving my last remaining aloe plant pup. I received the original plant from a patient of mine, and it was doing well for a few years until I was cat-sitting and the cat peed on it. It then started dying back and despite my attempts to save it, all that is left is one tiny little pup. I tried repotting the other surviving pieces of the plant before they died with no success. The only root left is this crunchy little brown thing. Now it sits in my windowsill in a little shot glass with a centimeter of water, two tiny sprouts of aloe, and it's been that way for over two years now. Any tips on getting it going again?

    Thanks for reading my story. :)
    ~Kelli

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  54. Hi Kelli,

    You should plant the root in some soil. Get a loose and fast draining type of cactus soil and pot it up.

    Good luck with your Aloe.

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  55. Anonymous10:04 AM

    In my aloe pot i have a huge i guess "mom " aloe plant and six babies growing around it currently, i have a total of 13 plants in the long pot , and have given some aloe to friends ! Should i ever take that " mom" aloe out or just leave it in , it is leaning to the side right now , b/c the babies are growing under the root.

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  56. Anon,

    It is up to you. You could repot your Aloe into a larger pot by itself or just let it do its thing. Since you're doing such a great job with it, I'd just leave well enough alone for the time being.

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  57. Hello from Barcelona,
    This blog seems great for us Aloe Vera newbies!!
    I have had my first aloe vera for almost a year now and it has been growing great the entire time I have had it. It sits on my balcony on a northwest facing facade where it gets about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight and seems to be doing great. I live in barcelona, spain so its in a hot fairly humid climate so i water it prob once every 8-12 days or so. I recently moved it to a larger pot since it was becoming top heavy and starting to lean over. Well about 2 months ago I noticed it had some white fluffy mold on the leaves. I havent done much with the mold because i wasn't sure what it was...and still am not. Can you help me figure out what to do about the mold?

    Thanks so much!

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  58. Anonymous2:58 PM

    Hello Mr.Brownthumb,
    Thanks for your useful blog, I have a question, we recently cultivate nearly 5000 Aloe Vera in pots in a glasshouse and 2000 in the ground, after a week we observed that the roots of ground cultivated Aloes grows but the root of potted ones are remained unchanged! we are worry about them, is it normal? is it a way to enforce or help roots to grow? is the potted Aloes need special care we don't notice?
    Thanks in advance,
    Zahra

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  59. Janelle,

    Could it be that your Aloe has mealybugs? Google for pics and see if that's your problem.

    Zahra,

    Can't really say as I've never tried to grow them on that kind of scale. Maybe it has something to do with the conditions in the glasshouse where it is too hot? When it gets to be above a certain temperature plants, like people shut down and don't do much but wait it out until it gets cooler.

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  60. Hello Mr. Brownthumb,
    Hope ure still answering questions!

    I recently purchased 2 aloe vera plants from Home Depot.
    I live in California, in the Bay area and have placed the plants outdoors, one facing East and the other facing North. When you say that the plants like light, do you mean bright, direct sunlight? Both the plants get direct sunlight for atleast 4-5 hours everyday. I water them when a toothpick inserted comes out totally dry.

    I have noticed however, the plant facing north is growing more flatter leaves instead of plump ones ( too little sunlight?) and the one facing east has leaves that have turned a shade yellow.

    Could you help?

    Thanks,
    Shalmali

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  61. @shalmali

    The one facing north could possibly be showing signs of not getting enough sunlight, the one east could be getting to much light. By that I mean not the length of the hours of light, but the intensity of it during the day. If the lower leaves are the ones turning yellow that's normal. Older leaves will die off as the plant ages. Also, when Aloe plants are stressed it could lose a leaf or two. Since you recently bought your Aloes it could be yellowing from being stressed once it was moved from the garden center to your house. Also, I can't see exactly how much water you're giving it, but they can be left to go pretty bone dry.

    Hope this helps.

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  62. Anonymous12:20 AM

    One of my friends whom i live with has a very tall and spindly aloe plant( i think, its a succulent which looks a lot like an aloe, but i am unsure if that is its exact species..) she is on a short vacation, and to make a long story short, it broke at the base of its stalk because i moved a stack of crates it was leaning against (unbeknownst to me)..Lame.Is there any hope of repair, or did i just screw up royally?It has one baby peeking out of the soil about 3 inches. That's all..it seems healthy, just grows tall and weird, which led to my awful blunder.I am in a tizzy because it looks like she's been growing it tall for some time..help, please. What is to be done?

    ReplyDelete
  63. Hi Anon,

    If it broke at the base it isn't the end of the world. Set the plant aside for a couple of days so the cut/broken end callouses over and then insert it back into the soil. If the break was at the base it should be fine.

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  64. Anonymous7:39 AM

    Hello!
    I have a little aloe plant (approximately 6 inches in height and width) that is not doing so well. It's leaves are browning and going limp at the base, and I was wondering if you know what is the matter with it. It's in a southern facing window (It doesn't get a lot of light, and it's sort of cold here in Michigan) and I water it about once every two weeks... Is this normal? Should I give it some sort of fertilizer or something?

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  65. Anonymous,

    No, it isn't normal. I think the lack of sunlight and warmth right now is what's causing your aloe to have a fit. Since it doesn't get a lot of sun and warmth you could be giving it too much water. Does the soil stay wet in your potted aloe between waterings?

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  66. Anonymous11:55 AM

    Hi! I have an extremely large aloe that is so big it is hanging over the side the pot. Is this ok? do I need to cut off some of the bottom leaves and plant it deeper? I am afriad it will get so heavy that it will break since nothing is supporting it. Thanks for your help!

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  67. Anonymous8:59 PM

    I've had great success w. aloes in my CT sunroom where they thrive in the winter and often bloom. I brought two to Maine and have put them outside; good sun, moderate water, but the leaves have not kept their healthy green color and have a pale almost tan/rose hue. I imagine that the brown on the tips is a stress reaction. How long before they acclimate?
    DownEaster!

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  68. Anonymous8:24 PM

    Just stopping by to say this is a great blog, and the questions and answers have given me a lot of help with my new aloe plant. Keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  69. Anonymous1:37 PM

    My aloe vera is growing straight up like a stalk. It is in a window as close to the sun as it can be but it is not growing outward just straight up and I'm concerned that if it gets much taller it is going to break. It produces pups regularly and looks healthy but I don't want it to break. Anything I can do?

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  70. I received a full grown aloe plant from a friend about 3 yrs ago. I almost lost it about 2 yrs ago when I accientally froze it one night. I trimmed all the leaves off that were complete mush, which was most of them, brought it inside and babied it & it is now a very healthy, beautiful thriving plant. Grows like crazy. But I want another one. I came here to learn how to propogate this plant, however, everyone talks about these "babies" that they produce but mine has never had any babies. I wonder did I do something to its "baby making" capabilities when I froze it? May sound silly but I don't know why mine doesn't. It didn't even the year of so before I froze it. So is there any way to propogate this plant? Or do I just have to go buy a whole new plant? I really wanted to start my own. Please help.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Anonymous1:12 AM

    I just received an aloe vera plant from a co-worker who is leaving the city. I was going to leave in my cubicle, but now I'm concerned since, unlike my co-worker, I don't have a window. Would it be better to keep my plant at the office, or take it home through the increasingly cold Chicago winter to sit near a window in my apt?

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  72. Help! my aloe is very healthy until recently. I cam back from a 6 week holiday on new years. Before I left o watered the plant once and it was it great condition when I returned. I watered it once upon returning and again 2 weeks later. I then realised one of my older leaf has turned brown and has become thin at the tip. The same is happening with another leaf now. It hasn't been watered for 3 weeks. It's winter here in the UK and very cold so I font think it needs any water. What could be wrong with it? Is it possible it needs to be re potted because I'm planning on doing that come spring. Please advise ASAP and help me save my plant!!! Thanks

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  73. Hello, Shae here. I have a question much like one of the others. My Aloe wasn't deep enough because it started growing sideways over the planter. I put it in a diff. planter, deep enough for the root, and tried to give it enough room to stand straight. Now it's still growing sideways and the new leaves are spiraling, as in looking as if they're growing in a circle! What the heck is going on? Thanks for your answer, hope you're still answering!

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  74. Hi, hope you're still answering questions. I have much the same problem as one earlier. My aloe was growing out of it's pot and growing sideways out of the pot. I re-potted in a bigger pot but the root was also growing sideways. I tried to make it as straight as possible in the pot by building up the soil more on the side that was growing sideways. That hasn't helped and the new leaves are growing in a spiral, as in going to grow in a circle! What the heck is going on with my aloe? Thanks!

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  75. Anonymous9:58 AM

    I recently reported my aloe that was very top heavy. I used common potting soil with fertalizer. I probably over watered it. Now all of the leaves are very thin and milky brown in color. They are still flexible so I know its not dead but dying. What can I do to save it besides no more water?

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  76. Sherie K12:31 PM

    Help! I was gifted from a friend a very old Aloe that I had been admiring. It did well for about a year and then the root became exposed and it almost tipped out of the old stinky pot it was in. I LOVINGLY bought it a new planter, planted it in new fertilized potting soil (completely covering the root) and watered the hell out of it at first. Now I am losing leaves. Well that's an understatement, I have 2-3 healthy green leaves left. I now know not to water it so much and I rearranged my tiny kitchen counter so it can be by an east facing window (much to the chagrin of my husband). Should I uncover the root? Should I just wait to see what happens? Any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  77. Anonymous10:52 AM

    Mr. BrownThumb I have a question about Aloe Vera. My aloe Vera bloomed pink flowers and then shriveled and fell but it occurred to me "Where's the seed, if there is a flower shouldn't there also be a seed or fruit or something". I would like to know I'm just a beginner and know a few information on these succulents. My Aloe Vera are growing well by a window sill and producing "pups" as we speak and have gone through alot of extreme weather since I live in Texas. I would like to grow Aloe Vera at my nursery outside but not sure about the seed. Appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Cathy R.11:57 PM

    Cathy R.
    I retrieved a very large Aloe Vera plant that someone had thrown away. The roots on it are about 16" long. They make a capital letter L shape. I feel that is why it was falling over in the very large plastic pot. Can I cut the root in half and have it still live? I want to repot it in the same large plastic pot. Please answer as soon as you possibly can. When it was thrown away it fell out of the pot. I need to get it back in soil. Help, please.

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  79. Anonymous10:05 PM

    My aloe "mom" is in a 22 inch high planter but the root is so huge it has tilted and is growing sideways. I can't find another planter that is taller and I have enough trouble moving now. Can I trim the root back without damaging the plant? I live in a cold climate so moving her outside is out of the question.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can certainly try to shorten the tap root of your aloe, but unless you let the cut end dry out completely, you run the risk of your aloe rotting. I would recommend visiting some junk and thrift stores in your area and trying to find a larger pot. It doesn't even have to be a specific houseplant pot. You can punch a hole in just about anything that would work as a container for your aloe and grow it in that.

      Delete
    2. Hi Mr Brown Thumb.My daughter has just bought me an Aloe Tiki Plant and need to know how to care for it.I already have a "plain" aloe plant which I water every 2 weeks and is very healthy.Ive never seen a tiki plant before.Does it need special care or can I just care for it the same way I do with my Plain aloe vera plant?

      Delete
  80. Hi Mr. Brown Thumb,

    I have a healthy outdoor aloe that a neighbor gave me. It was root-bound, so I repotted it and removed the pups which I potted and moved indoors. The outdoor aloe has sunburned tips, obviously from getting too much sun.

    Since it's been moved to its new location in a larger pot, it gets full sun from 10 a.m. to noon and shade for the remainder of the day. The new fronds are nice and green on the tips, so the exposure issue is apparently resolved. My question is should I cut off the tips of the older fronds that received too much sunlight in the past?

    Someone advised my putting a sheet over the plant during the day, but boyfriend says it's a desert plant and people aren't running into the desert to throw sheets on aloe plants. That does make sense, doesn't it? Anyway, any advice would help.

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  81. Anonymous2:22 AM

    Hi,
    I rescued an aloe from my work place as it was being overwatered. I've re-potted it and haven't given it any water and it seemed to perk up a little bit.... however it's stared to go brown in the stem, is this rot and is it dying or should i keep going with it?

    thanks

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  82. Anonymous2:55 PM

    If the aloe leaves are heavy and the skin is soft use caution removing the plant from the pot as the leaves can break when tilted to the side. Hold the plant upright by it's heavy base and pull the pot downward.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Anonymous5:00 PM

    Hi I was wondering if you could help me. My aloe is growing long skinny spike that bend and then die so I cut them back ive also noticed what looks like scarring on the thickest part of the leaves its still shooting from the middle but they all just seem to bend and then go mushy like when you get a child that thinks its okay to squeeze the leaves. Ive had it 3years started kut as a brown twig in a pot and its never sprouted babies but ive also noticed that the base spikes have started dying from the bottom spike at the stem im wondering whether its got a bug or whether its because ive moved twice as ive noticed it doesn't like being moved I water probably ever couple of months any help would be appreciated thankyou

    ReplyDelete
  84. Anonymous12:02 AM

    I really hope u r still answering question I'm n desperate need of help for my aloe vera plant I live n a small 2 bedroom where there's no sun what can I do to save my aloe vera plant pls help.what can I do

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  85. Hi! My aloe vera plant is extremely thin moreover it is watered enough and I can't see gel inside it's leave can you suggest me what to do now

    ReplyDelete

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