Aloe vera is a hardy, succulent, semi-tropical plant native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, which can tolerate quite harsh conditions. It will grow in poor soils in hot, dry sunny locations with very little water, but can also tolerate dappled sun or part shade, which allows it to be grown successfully as an indoor plant when located near a window with bright natural light.
When grown outdoors, Aloe vera plants will flower. They produce clusters of dangling tubular yellow or orange flowers on long stalk which grow from the centre of the plant around early spring. They tend not to flower when grown indoors as houseplants.
Is your beloved aloe vera looking a bit under the weather lately? Don’t worry – you’re not alone! I’ve been growing aloes for years, and yellowing leaves are one of the most common problems I see. Let me share everything I’ve learned about fixing yellow aloe vera plants.
Common Causes of Yellowing Aloe Vera Plants
The main reasons your aloe vera is turning yellow include:
- Overwatering (most common!)
- Underwatering
- Poor drainage
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Root rot
- Temperature stress
- Sudden environmental changes
The #1 Culprit: Overwatering
In my experience, overwatering is hands-down the biggest reason aloe plants turn yellow. These desert plants hate having “wet feet”! Here’s what happens when you overwater
- Leaves become soft and mushy
- Yellow color starts appearing
- Stems get weak and droopy
- Roots begin rotting
- Plant becomes unstable in soil
How to Fix an Overwatered Aloe
If you’ve been giving your aloe too much love (aka water) here’s what to do
- Stop watering immediately
- Move plant to a brighter spot
- Check drainage holes aren’t blocked
- Remove plant from pot
- Cut away any rotted roots (they’ll be brown/black and mushy)
- Repot in fresh, well-draining succulent soil
- Wait 1-2 weeks before watering again
Proper Watering Schedule
Here’s my tried-and-true watering approach
Summer:
- Water every 2-3 weeks
- Let soil dry completely between waterings
- Water deeply when you do water
Winter:
- Water once a month or less
- Reduce watering by 50%
- Always check soil moisture first
The Rice Water Trick
Here’s a cool tip I learned from an old gardener: Try watering your yellowing aloe with rice rinse water! The starch and nutrients can help revive struggling plants. I’ve used this successfully several times.
Other Common Causes & Solutions
Poor Drainage
Your aloe needs:
- Well-draining succulent soil
- Pot with drainage holes
- Never sitting in water
Temperature Stress
Ideal conditions:
- 55-80°F (13-27°C)
- No cold drafts
- Away from AC vents
- Protected from extreme heat
Nutrient Deficiency
Signs include:
- Pale yellow-green color
- Thin leaves
- Slow growth
- Yellow leaf tips
Prevention Tips
To keep your aloe vera healthy and green:
- Use terracotta pots (they breathe better)
- Place in bright indirect light
- Don’t overwater (seriously!)
- Use proper succulent soil
- Maintain consistent temperatures
- Feed lightly during growing season
When to Say Goodbye
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, parts of the plant may be too far gone. If leaves are:
- Extremely mushy
- Dark brown or black
- Falling over at the base
It’s best to remove these leaves to help the plant recover.
My Personal Experience
When I first started growing aloes, I nearly killed one by overwatering. The leaves turned yellow and got all mushy – it was pretty gross! But after learning proper care techniques and implementing the tips above, I’ve successfully grown dozens of healthy aloe plants.
Remember, aloe vera is super resilient! Even if your plant looks rough now, with proper care it can bounce back. Just remember – these are desert plants that prefer neglect over too much attention.
Note: Every plant is different, so don’t get discouraged if recovery takes time. Patience and consistent care are key to nursing your aloe back to health.
What Makes Aloe Vera Plants Unwell and How to Prevent It
When plants get exposed to conditions they don’t like, they become stressed, and start showing signs that they’re unhealthy.
What are the conditions that can stress Aloe vera plants?
When Aloe vera plants are overwatered, the leaves will fade in colour, yellow, brown off and eventually rot away.
Testing for overwatering is quick and easy:
- If the plants are in the ground, push a garden hand trowel into the soil and check if the soil is waterlogged.
- If plants are growing in pots, lift up the container to check the weight, if it feels excessively heavy it’s because the growing medium is saturated with water.
Aloe vera plants don’t need much water. If they’re growing in containers, water once a week in summer and once every two weeks in winter. All tropical and subtropical plants don’t like too much water when it’s cold, as it rots their roots.
What about rainfall?
When growing Aloe vera in pots or containers outdoors, don’t leave them out in the open in winter where they will be exposed to rainfall, place them in a location that will shelter them from the rain. An ideal place is near a sunny house wall where the roof overhangs and protects them from the rain. I have mine containers of aloe vera growing against a west facing wall, where the afternoon winter sun warms the wall and elevates the winter night temperature around the plants.
Aloe vera plants growing in the ground will be fine if they’re subjected to rain as long as the soil drains well in winter. Heavy clay soils should be amended before planting, the soil in the planting area needs to be mixed with compost (about 25% by volume) to improve drainage.
Can the size of pot make a difference?
Overpotting a plant can cause waterlogging! Aloe vera plants, just like all other succulents, need to be grown in a soil mixture drains freely when grown in pots. Please don’t use garden soil in pots, that becomes mud in containers when it gets wet! Even when using a well draining growing medium (potting mix), if the pot is too large for the plant, the plant’s small root system isn’t capable of taking up all the water, which results in the growing medium staying excessively wet for an extended period of time. This has the same effect as overwatering on the plant.
Aloe vera plants prefer to be snug in their pot with a dense root mass, so when transplanting them, move them up to the next sized pot only, don’t put them in an overly large pot. Give the plant around 3-4 cm (1-1 ½”) of space all round the sides in the new pot. Transplant Aloe vera plants every two years to freshen to growing medium and aerate the roots.
The Symptoms of an Unhealthy Aloe Vera Plant
When Aloe vera plants are subjected to unfavourable conditions, they may show some of the following signs:
- Leaves become pale in colour, the green colour fades to a straw yellow colour which eventually turns light brown.
- Leaf tips darken and dry out.
- Leaves dry out and wither.
- Leaves become soft and mushy, and begin to rot.
A pair of unhealthy Aloe vera plants that have been overwatered and exposed to sudden cold weather.
Why Aloe Vera Leaves Are Turning Brown and How To Manage It
FAQ
How do I get my aloe plant to turn green again?
Browning, drying leaves and tips of aloe plants will not revert back to green, though you can help your plant not turn brown again by hydrating it as needed, which is typical once the soil has dried completely through and the leaves begin to show the slightest sign of wrinkling.
Do aloe plants need direct sunlight?
How to revive a dying aloe vera plant?
To revive a dying aloe vera plant, assess the cause of its distress, which is often related to watering, sunlight, or root rot. Address the issue by adjusting watering frequency, ensuring proper drainage, and providing adequate sunlight.