Aloe vera plants make great indoor or outdoor plants; they are also handy to possess due to their healing properties. These plants are adapted to water storage and therefore can become sick due to overwatering, underwatering, and other environmental factors. Root rot is one of the foremost common ailments of Aloe vera plants, but they will also become sunburned. If your aloe vera plant looks a touch under the weather, don’t lose hope! You can still revive it!
Why Is My Aloe Plant Drooping?
Let’s check out the common reasons why your Aloe plant could be drooping. We are going to tell you about, how to figure out the cause of droop and ways to fix it.
Overwatering:
Overwatering is the common reason for a drooping aloe plant. If you notice the leaves begin to droop or wilt, we recommend you initially investigate whether you’re overwatering the plant. One of the biggest risks with overwatering is that the roots can become infected with fungus since fungus thrives in moisture. Check the roots for signs of damage and treat them with a fungicide if it is evident.
Another sign of overwatering is that the aloe vera leaves start to develop soak spots. The leaf will feel especially mushy and soggy because of the moisture inside the plant.
Check the soil by placing your finger to know the level of moisture. If the soil is wet, you would possibly be overwatering the Aloe
.Of course, the simplest solution to the present problem is to develop an efficient watering strategy for your aloe plant. Ideally, you ought to wait until the soil has dried out completely before watering the plant again. When it’s dry, soak the soil. Then, wait until it’s completely dried to water again.
Lack of proper Drainage:
As an extension of the overwatering issue, your aloe might be struggling and wilting because it lacks proper drainage. Ensure your Aloe plant is planted in well-draining soil and make sure that there’s a drainage hole within the bottom of its pot. This enables the soil to dry in between watering which is important to stay the plant healthy.
Under watering:
As we have discussed above, aloe plants require very less water, which is why overwatering is so common. There is still a possibility of underwatering the plant which commonly happens when aloe plants are neglected.
Underwatering is a problem for any plant. Not having enough water eventually results in wilting and drooping leaves sooner or later.
So, although it’snot common with an aloe vera plant, underwatering is usually possible.
As mentioned, when the soil of your aloe plant dries out completely, it’s time to water. Soak the soil and ensure that there’s a drainage hole at rock bottom. Once the soil dries completely, it’s time to water again.
Disease:
Although aloe vera plants are of low maintenance, they can become infected with certain diseases. There is a couple of fungal and bacterial disease these include:
Aloe Rust:
Aloe rust may be a fungal disease that will occur if there is an excessive amount of moisture within the environment or if the temperature is very low. These conditions allow the fungus to thrive.
You can spot this disease by the emergence of yellow spots which become larger brown spots. Orange spores can also grow on the underside of the leaves. In most cases, this disease limits itself but make sure that you simply are not overwatering the plant which is at an appropriate temperature.
Basal Stem Rot:
Basal stem rot is a disease caused by infection with a fungus, such as ringworm or thrush. which will occur when the plant is exposed to an excessive amount of moisture. It is characterized by the bottom of the aloe turning brown and/or rotting.
This is quite serious to the health of the plant and should require trimming to save lots of portions of the plant which haven’t been affected yet.
Pests:
Aloe vera plants are vulnerable to pest infestations. Often, these pests affect the leaves of the plant which may end in leaves that die or start to droop.
One of the foremost common Aloe plant pests to look out for is aphids. Aphids suck sap from the leaves which may end in a dying, drooping leaf.
If you notice an aphid infestation on your aloe, treat it at once with horticultural oil or neem oil.
The Pot is just too Small:
If your Aloe plant is placed in a pot that’s too small, the roots might not have the space to grow large enough to support your plant. This results in an unstable and drooping plant.
It is extremely important that your Aloe plant is in an appropriately sized pot with proper holes for drainage. Ideally, once you first plant an Aloe vera plant, the roots should take up about two-thirds of the potthis provides them some space to grow. When it is time to repot the plant, go up one pot size at a time.
Incorrect Lighting:
An Aloe plant should have about six hours of direct sunlight per day to Grow. This suggests if you are keeping the plant indoors, it should be placed near a window (preferably south-facing) where it can receive adequate sun. If it does not receive enough sun, you will see the plant droop and wilt.
Another important consideration with lighting is not to shock the plant by moving it into different lighting all directly. Instead, introduce the plant to about an hour more of sunlight per day, in order that the plant can become accustomed. Otherwise, you run the danger of burning the plant.
Conclusion:
I hope I have given you all the tools you would like to identify a set of reasons for your aloe plant drooping and show you ways to get your plant back to perfect health.
Once you identify the matter, you’ll take swift action to rectify the problem. Aloe vera is a tough and resilient plant, capable of surviving. As long as you’re quick to notice and Careful, you’ll get your aloe thriving in no time.
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