Zeusy Zeus
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Need beginner help to save an Aloe Vera plant...

Hello all I am very very new to gardening. I recently got back from a trip and while I was gone I appreciated the outdoor grown plants I saw at a farm I visited. Now I'm back and I bought a mint and an Aloe Vera plant a week ago. The mint seems to be doing ok but the Aloe looks to be turning a little white like it's dry. From what I'm reading I should water it more often? I live in dry weather where lately it's been in the 90's and I've had the plant in indirect sunlight outside. A couple of tips are reddish and one of the leaves seems to have little holes as if it's being eaten or decaying not sure. I'm trying to save it. I just now put it indoor and I'm hoping that helps but I could really use some advice here. I can upload a photo if you want me to. Thank you to anyone who helps really means a lot.

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ElizabethB
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Welcome to the forum.

How about a photo of your aloe?

I hope you planted the mint in a container and not in the ground. VERY invasive.

Zeusy Zeus
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ElizabethB wrote:Welcome to the forum.

How about a photo of your aloe?

I hope you planted the mint in a container and not in the ground. VERY invasive.
Hi thanks for responding. Here's a picture of the aloe plant.
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Aloe Plant
Aloe Plant

Zeusy Zeus
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Zeusy Zeus wrote:
ElizabethB wrote:Welcome to the forum.

How about a photo of your aloe?

I hope you planted the mint in a container and not in the ground. VERY invasive.
Hi thanks for responding. Here's a picture of the aloe plant.

Here's another picture, thanks!
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Aloe plant 2
Aloe plant 2

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ElizabethB
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Zeusy,

Try planting your aloe in a cactus medium rather than regular potting soil. Aloe is native to hot, dry regions. The worst thing you can do for succulents is to love them too much. They thrive on neglect.

Plant in a cactus mix. Move your plant outside. IDK where you live or what your climate is like. In south Louisiana I keep my succulents on my patio table under the patio cover. It rains so much that they would rot if I left them out. If you do live in a hot wet region you can acclimate your aloe to your weather conditions. I have had aloe in pots and planted in the ground under a huge oak tree that thrived. The "leaves" for lack of a better term, were no less than 6" across.

Years ago we vacationed in San Diego. There were enormous aloe plants all over the property.
When we returned to our room in the evening, after a day of too much sun, we found a tray of ice with a large, split aloe leaf on top of the ice. OMG! Amazing sunburn relief.

When it comes to watering succulents less is best. Your aloe will tell you when it needs water. The leaves will be less puffy and maybe a little wrinkled. Water then.

Good luck

Zeusy Zeus
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ElizabethB wrote:Zeusy,

Try planting your aloe in a cactus medium rather than regular potting soil. Aloe is native to hot, dry regions. The worst thing you can do for succulents is to love them too much. They thrive on neglect.

Plant in a cactus mix. Move your plant outside. IDK where you live or what your climate is like. In south Louisiana I keep my succulents on my patio table under the patio cover. It rains so much that they would rot if I left them out. If you do live in a hot wet region you can acclimate your aloe to your weather conditions. I have had aloe in pots and planted in the ground under a huge oak tree that thrived. The "leaves" for lack of a better term, were no less than 6" across.

Years ago we vacationed in San Diego. There were enormous aloe plants all over the property.
When we returned to our room in the evening, after a day of too much sun, we found a tray of ice with a large, split aloe leaf on top of the ice. OMG! Amazing sunburn relief.

When it comes to watering succulents less is best. Your aloe will tell you when it needs water. The leaves will be less puffy and maybe a little wrinkled. Water then.

Good luck
Thank you Elizabeth I'll try that soil. The mint seems to be doing great but yeah this soil isn't doing well with the Aloe. Now should I just pull the plant and the roots and put in that new soil or keep a little? I was worried when I took it out of it's previous container that I may have messed with the roots since I know nothing about plants. I like in a dry hot climate (just a bit north of Los Angeles). I have it in my balcony which gets sun probably about 5 hours a day. Is that good?

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ElizabethB
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Your aloe does not look THAT bad.

Gently remove your aloe from the pot. Whatever soil clings to the roots is fine. There won't be much of a root system. Don't plant it any deeper than the current depth. Leave the pot far enough back from the edge of the balcony cover so the only water it gets is what you give it.

BTW - is your pot well drained? Also no pot saucer.

Good luck

Zeusy Zeus
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Elizabeth I did as you told me but the plant does not look good at all I'm afraid it's dying. I put it in succulent soil by miracle gro but I don't see it improving. It has been 3 days. Here's the plant today...
IMG_1070.JPG
I didn't fill the full pot with soil as it's a pretty big pot I only filled it half way I hope that's not an issue?



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