How can I help my aloe vera plant thrive?
Question:Lately my aloe vera plant looks like its slowly dieing and it looks like its turning orange. Any suggestions. BTW I live in the Sonora Desert.
Answers:
Because Aloe plants consist of 95% water, they are extremely frost tender. If they are grown outdoors in warm climates, they should be planted in full sun, or light shade. The soil should be moderately fertile, and fast draining. Established plants will survive a drought quite well, but for the benefit of the plant, water should be provided.
Because of their popularity, Aloe vera plants are available at almost every garden shop or nursery. Unless you live in area with a very mild climate, it's best to leave your Aloe plant in the pot and place it near a window that gets a lot of sun. You can move the pot outdoors during the summer months.
Aloe vera is a succulent, and as such, stores a large quantity of water within its leaves and root system. During the winter months, the plant will become somewhat dormant, and utilize very little moisture. During this period watering should be minimal. Allow the soil to become completely dry before giving the plant a cup or two of water. During the summer months, the soil should be completely soaked, but then be allowed to dry again before re-watering.
Aloes have a shallow, spreading root system, so when it is time to repot choose a wide planter, rather than a deep one. Use a planter with a drainage hole, or provide a 1-2 inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the pot to ensure adequate drainage. Use a good commercial potting mix with extra perlite, granite grit, or coarse sand added. You may also use a packaged 'cacti mix' soil. Fertilize yearly, in the spring with a dilute (half strength), bloom type fertilizer (10-40-10).
Aloes are propagated by removing the offsets which are produced around the base of mature plants, when they are a couple inches tall (or larger). They may also be grown from seed.
My aloe turns orange when it gets too much direct sun, but that is an aloe vera, there are different types of aloes.
Mine gets sunburned.
i've had them turn orangish before too...but am clueless as to why.
you may want to give it a weak solution of fertilizer and see if it helps.
other than that...have you changed watering habits? have you moved the plant? when did yo last repot it?
I have loads of aloe vera plants, I have to dig them out. I used Epsom Salts a couple of years ago on them and now they are overcrowding and healthy. Epsom Salts from the Pharmacy cost around a dollar a carton, you only need a cup to a gallon of water or even sprikle on.
Get a little bottle of Miracle Gro and fertilize it. . . .
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