Most of us love having an aloe vera plant in our home, because they’re easy to take care of and great for soothing sunburns. But if you’ve recently planted one and noticed that the leaves seem soft, droopy or even discolored, don’t worry! You may have given your plant too much water or allowed it to sit in a soggy pot, but there’s help available! Read on to learn how to rejuvenate an overwatered Aloe plant
Step by step guide to save an overwatered Aloe
step 1: Get rid of the excess water.
This is very important since overwatered aloe isn’t only at risk of fungal diseases; its roots can rot and will eventually die off. Slice the “head” (where the leaves join together) and let it dry for a few days to a week before proceeding to step 2:
step 2: Cut off the rotted roots.
The “head” should be able to stand on its own now; if you want, give it a fresh watering and wait for it to dry out completely before proceeding with step 3:
step 3: Replant.
Aloes like well-draining soil (i.e., sandy) so make sure the pot is sufficiently large for the roots.
step 4: Put that baby in a sunny spot!
Aloes don’t do well under direct sunlight but they still need plenty of light, so put it near a window or grow-light. Aloe is also drought-tolerant once established, which means you
step 5: Do not water for at least a month.
Aloe plants in pots dry out quickly, especially when placed near a window. Water only when the soil is completely dry and let it go another 2-3 weeks before watering again to ensure that its roots have taken hold and are capable of storing water.
If you want to add fertilizer,
step 6: Fertilize sparingly.
Aloes are good at storing nutrients so you only need to fertilize every 2 months and always follow the instructions on the label to avoid over-fertilizing and burning the roots. And that’s it!
Good luck saving your aloe plant!
What if the plant is too damaged from overwatering?
the best thing to do if your plant is beyond saving is to turn it into a cutting and start over. You can easily propagate aloe from healthy leaves but you need to get them to callous before rooting them in soil, so keep the cut-off head at room temperature for a few days.
Once it has dried out completely and has begun to form a hard scab (usually after 1-2 days), moisten the cut surface with water only every other day until the leaf is able to stand on its own and use an all-purpose fertilizer like miracle-gro to encourage new growth.
Ways to maintain the right moisture level and avoid overwatering.
The first thing to keep in mind is that aloe plants like well-draining soil (i.e., sand) because it dries out faster than potting mix, which means you should never let the roots sit in water. To ensure this doesn’t happen, always make sure your plant is placed away from leaks or standing water and follow these basic rules:
re-pot every 1-2 years to prevent mold and root rot
don’t water until the top inch of soil is dry (and don’t overwater!)
1/4 strength fertilizer during spring and summer months
It’s also important to note that aloes are drought-tolerant once established, so take care not to overwater. This means don’t water until the top inch of soil is dry and don’t water again until another 2-3 weeks have passed. If you want to add fertilizer, use 1/4 strength during the spring and summer months only.
If you follow these simple rules, your aloe plant will be able to grow for many years!