My Aloe

My Aloe

meca81,
I believe that as long as it has any roots at all, it will survive. In regards to re-potting it, I would let it dry 2-3 days to callous over and then repot it.

As to when to water it again, I think so long as you've allowed it to callous for 2-3 days, you can water it once you pot it (if you want to be really safe, I think you could wait 4-5 days after re-potting to water it again). I would just be careful not to over pot it as it now has quite a smaller root system. With that, also be careful not to overwater it as with less roots, it won't be able to suck up as much water as before (before you broke off the roots).

For added measure, I believe if you're really worried about it, you could purchase some rooting hormone to give it a boost in forming some new roots (I've never done this with plants that have roots already but I don't see that it could hurt).

A suggestion for repotting next time (just a trick that works for me): When I have a plant that seems glued to the pot, I just take a butter knife and circle it around the pot a couple times to detach it from the sides of the pot. It may not completely detach it, but it's much easier and less detrimental to the plant (by not tugging on it). I hope this helps.

Planto

Thanks a lot for all the advice. I'm gonna let it dry a few days to callous over and then repot.

meca81,
You're welcome. Keep us posted as to it's progress, I'd love to see how things work out for you.

Planto

dont' worry, it'll survive even if all its roots were broken off. it'll just grow new ones.

it looks very healthy :)

houstontexas123,
Thanks for the positivity, I'm really hoping so I love my Aloe and beat myself up all day yesterday for the mistake I made. Gonna give it one more day to dry before re-potting.

I find that this variety often will have its roots rot in summer when it gets too much summer rain after it has bloomed and absorbed the old leaves and it has gone dormant. IT always grows new roots and revives. I would wait a bit to water it after potting. But that is me. I have found this variety of aloe to sometimes be touchy when it comes to rot. This one is definitely a winter grower and does not put on much growth at all in the summer time.

Hey Meca,

Pls don't beat yourself up about it, can't help anything; we all make mistakes from time to time. It's over & done, just perhaps make a big mental note to be more careful next time (something tells me you'll remember).

Happily, they're fairly tough plants, good luck w/ it!

wantonamara,

I've never experienced any root rot with this one of mine. From since I purchased it a few years ago from a thrift store when it was much smaller with maybe 5 leaves on it and in need of sunshine and a drink. This is the very first time its had damage done to it. It's an indoor plant, (forgot to mention that)I water it once a month, sometimes once every two months because of not thinking about it. So I have no problem at all with waiting to water it. I do agree that this kind of aloe, at least mine seems to be much more of a winter grower rather than in summer. I noticed that this summer before I broke it :( It seems more lively during winter.

pirate girl,

The mental note has definitely been made for sure! :) I'm just hoping for the best.
Thanks!

You don't get rot because you water it in a controled appropriate way. I get rot because it is outside and mom nature is not always in sinc with my wants. I would be sparing right off and hold off and not water it immediately with the broken root, and it's being in summer dormancy, contrary to what was said above. It is real good about growing back its roots when it looses them but it can be more prone than some other varieties. I put it under the porch cover to go on its diet. Sometimes I only know because I feel a little looseness.

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wantonamara,
Your aloes look happy and gorgeous!

Planto

wantonamara,

Beautiful Aloes! I wish I could put mine outside but I live in an apartment. So it grows indoors next to a sunny window and I've been waiting for mine to bloom too but it's taking forever. But it's so close because I can see at the top of mine in the middle that something is waiting to pop up that doesn't look like another baby leaf. But looks like it may be ready to bloom soon. I'm exciting about that but since it's growing indoors the process seems slower and with it being summer to.

For plants that grow outdoors, the bloom time is in the spring.I am in Texas so it started showing its bloom in January. I first noticed a tiny long skinny protuberance , almost 1/16" by and 1inch and they were there for months before the bloom top showed in January. Here if you look real carefully just above the central "V" where the main leaves join, you will see it. If you click it , you will go to my flicker page, and click it again I think you can enlarge the image for a better view. I was able to know how many blooms I was going to get..Second shot shows the buds and the last shot shows how the "protuberance connects with the bud. This shows on another species of aloe but is hidden on the variegata. I thought it might be of interest. so you know what you are looking at. This does not happen on all aloes.

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wantonamara,

Mine is tiny and has been there for a few months, I hope I didn't ruin its chance to finally show me a bloom by breaking the roots.

Maybe, if nothing else, it will be like a adolescent pre-bloom, a practice bloom of sorts ( Nothing scientific about that observation.) I do hope it gives you the goods. Aloes are not very good indoors growers. This one is better than most since it can put up with a bit of shade.

I love my camera for getting in to the weird spots of plants. I IDed a bad disease that my no longer perfectly focussing eyes missed by a close-up photograph from my camera.

wantonamara,

Right, it can put up with a bit of shade. Even though mine sits at a very sunny window the sunshine just doesn't fully reach my Aloe. But it seems happy with getting the bright shade effect. I'm looking forward to seeing how it does after re-potting it.