Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
maddie38

Sick Aloe help!

maddie38
9 years ago

I have a beautiful Aloe, and I am just doing something wrong... Her leaves are drooping over. I am new at this so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

This post was edited by maddie38 on Tue, Aug 19, 14 at 5:23

Comments (11)

  • LilBit7765
    9 years ago

    Do her leaves feel soft? And how wet is your soil?

  • kuroc
    9 years ago

    Your soil looks to peaty you need to pot it in some thing more gritty.

    A mix I'm using now is 3 parts perlite, 2 part oil dry, 1 part turface (3 parts oil dry works the same I think), and 1 part composted cow manure.

    A note on oil dry make sure it will remain stable after being wet then dry for hundreds of times.

    A way I have learned on this forum to test this is to put some in a ziplock bag with water then put it in the freezer let it freeze and defrost. If it still holds it shape and has not turned to mush it's ok to use.

    I got my oil dry at walmart.
    I hope this helps.

  • maddie38
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for your help. Her leaves are not soft I am using miracle gro cactus mix for the soil. She is one of my rescue plants.

    Thanks

  • LilBit7765
    9 years ago

    MG soil alone is just WAY too water retentive. You should at the very least add half perlite to the mix

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    9 years ago

    And with that particular soil you have, 75/25, perlite vs.soil, would not be a bad thing at all. You need to remove that plant right now and let it dry out a couple of days. Repot in the suggested porous mix and don't water, just mist the plant every few days. It should be in warm, semi-sun (though they can take full sun, they just need to get used to it) with air circulation.

  • maddie38
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This soil feels cold and damp to me. She has not been watered at all. I was afraid to take her out of the pot but I think she needs to dry out and different soil.
    Her leaves on the bottom are softer than the top ones.

    Thank you so much!

  • maddie38
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well I thought I would update my picture. Here she is out of the pot.
    Will she be ok?
    Thanks

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    9 years ago

    the roots should be thick and white, something like they are there at the crown, only better. the rest looks rotty. Do not worry, they can recover within days given the right conditions. Use a gritty mix and slowly accustom the plant to some direct sun so it can firm up and grow some new roots.

  • Crenda 10A SW FL
    9 years ago

    I can't emphasize this enough - through my own experience - try to remove all the old dirt from the roots. You can rinse the remaining dirt off. I may be wrong, but I think that is why your roots look so black. If they are slimy, it is indeed rot.

    Gritty mix will make a big difference for your plant. I think of it as wiggle room for their "toes." It is also much easier to repot when you don't have to tease all the hardened peat from the roots.

    Here's an Aloe that I was repotting. I just shook the gritty mix off.

  • oxboy555
    9 years ago

    I find it much easier to get peaty mix off of dry roots. Just take the plant out and use your fingers to work all the dry peat mix out. You can use a skewer to tease stuff out and loosen roots too. Only do with plants like cacti and sux that can handle roots being dry and out of mix for a while.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    9 years ago

    If peat dried out around the roots too much, one may have to let it soak in water for a while.
    Or use hose to wash it off if necessary. Swishing in the pan of water may be enough.
    If you lay plant on newspaper (or kit. towels), it will soak extra water off without drying them too much.

    See how clean the roots are on Crenda's plant? Another benefit of using gritty mix - it just shakes off very easily. No washing necessary.

    Btw, if any roots are slimey, trim them off...Rina

Sponsored
Virginia Kitchen & Bath
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars151 Reviews
Virginia's Award Winning One Stop Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Resource