Too frequent watering and waterlogging in the pot leads to rotting of the roots and death of the plant. If the leaves are not affected, the aloe vera plant can still be saved by completely removing the roots.

The roots of aloe vera are susceptible to root rot

If aloe vera, which comes from the African desert, is watered too often and the excess water is not removed, the pot will become waterlogged, which not only promotes fungal growth on the foliage, but also causes the roots to begin to rot. The rot spreads to the leaves, causing them to soften and possibly develop brown spots.

Moderate watering will keep the roots healthy

Aloe vera is one of the succulents that have the ability to store water in their leaves. Therefore, sparing watering directly onto the substrate is advisable. The sandy soil and a drainage layer should also ensure that the irrigation water can drain off well. The young plants, which cannot store that much water anyway, should be watered very carefully.

Rooting cuttings and offshoots

With sexual maturity, offshoots develop on the trunk of the aloe vera - the small mini aloes, which only lack their own roots. Cuttings can also be obtained from the leaves of aloe vera. Rooting cuttings and cuttings requires the following steps:

  • use a sharp knife to cut off the offshoot from the mother plant or, for propagation by cuttings, one of the outer leaves,
  • let the cut plant piece dry in the air for a few days,
  • Plant offshoots or cuttings in the potting soil,
  • water the soil sparingly, do not fertilize.

Renewing rotten roots

If the roots of your aloe vera are damaged by waterlogging, but the plant otherwise appears healthy, it can be saved by radically replacing the roots. To do this, take the aloe vera and the root ball out of the pot. This is easier to do if you have not watered the aloe for a long time. After separating the aerial part of the plant from the root, proceed with the adult aloe vera as described above for cuttings/frags.

tips

Until new roots form, the plants should be protected from the sun and watered even less than usual.

Category:

Indoor plants