posted
Greetings. I am from West Central Texas. Recently, we re-potted some aloe vera plants and have noticed that they are turning brown and looking pretty bad. ANy suggestions?
Plants: | From: West Central Texas | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 12.45.189.123
posted
Aloe Vera like to stay dry most of the time. I would suggest that if you didn't use cactus potting soil that you do that or something like it. Also if the potting soil you have is moist take it out and add dry.
The Aloe can go a month without watering if it is dormant.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.75.244
posted
A Texas Howdy JC I am in North Texas DFW midcities Glad to have another Texan on the forum. I live in Odessa for a few years My Grandaddy had home steat in Gasoline if you know where that is. I have Aloe Vera got it from my mother in New Mexico was in her washroom. I have itr on my covered porch I check moisture once in awhile never gets direct sun only filtered early morning sun. As you know we have high humidity here so I very seldom water it or my Centrinella plant that is now 4' tall. Your sandy loam mixed with a good soil is all you need for this plant. If too wet add a little sand (I use lava sand and /or Texas Green sand) it will cure the moister prbloem. Once again Welcome and Happy Gradening. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Hi I'm also new to The Garden Helper and I also just aquired a young aloe vera plant. I admit to not having the best of green thumbs but all of my plants are alive at this time, so that must mean something, right?? I got the plant at a Lowe's store and the soil was bone dry - which I knew was a good thing - and the plant was root bound. My daughter and I transplanted it into a bigger pot, but not much bigger, and it gets mainly morning sun and then diffused light for the remainder of the day. The only thing I see that isn't great is that one of the bottom leaves is loose, and it's a lighter shade of green than the rest of the plant. It kind of looks like that leave is dying off. The soil is still very dry, although I watered it a bit this morning.
I think I'm talking too much - sorry!
Take care!
- Jillian
* * * * Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God... Plants: 17 | From: MI | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 216.93.116.205
posted
If you look over beside my post where the avatar goes you will see my "official blabber mouth" title. Don't worry about long posts. Everyone is very considerate, I know because I do them all the time.
I'm just a beginner but when my aloe wants to grow I give it a load of water and then let it dry out and then give it another good load of water until it is done growing. When it goes dormant I stop giving it generous doses of water. I water when I can push my finger down to the second knuckle into the soil and still feel dry. Then my little 5 inch aloe gets a good 1/3 cup of water.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.201.90
posted
Hi tkhooper... I saw that "official blabber mouth" title and had to laugh. Sometimes I think that's what I should be called! I'm glad to know that longer posts are okay, anyway.
I'm a beginner too when it comes to aloe plants - I admit to being a little nervous. I had no idea that the plant could be that dry - where you could push your finger that far down and it'd be dry. Wow... I will definitely remember that.
When does the plant go dormant? I didn't realize that they would do that. But I suppose it makes sense - everything has a 'season'. This little plant of mine is small, too, only about 5 or 6 inches. Do they bloom?
The houseplant that I'm most proud of is my "ancient" Schefflera. I started it as a tiny slip that was only 3" tall in the fall of 1981 - I was just shy of 16 years old - and it's still alive, still doing well, still growing like crazy, and I still can't believe that someone like ME has been able to keep a plant this long! It's amazing. How long can these plants live?! I hope it'll be a very long time before it gets too exhausted to keep growing.
Okay - I'm hushing now. Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you again for such a nice welcome!
- Jillian
* * * * Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God... Plants: 17 | From: MI | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 216.93.119.195
posted
I don't think my aloe understands that it is supose to be on a "seasonal schedule" lol. Every couple of months it will just take a break. No new leaves in the center so I know that it is resting. Also it stops soaking up the water. Then i reduce the watering to very little when it is dry and watch to make sure that any that goes in the saucer gets dumped. They will bloom if they are given lots of light and are alittle root bound from what I understand. Mine is still too small. I also found out that they like shallow pots rather than deep ones. Ask G-mom to post the picture of hers in bloom it is really cool.
I've never had a plant that long. I've never stayed in one place that long either lol. I don't know how long they live but someone will.
You enjoy your weekend too.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.201.90
posted
Mine I got from my7 mother was in her washroom in the west window in New Mexico and still lived? Amazing she didnt even have a/c said didnt need it. Mine never takes time off they grow year round I have already divided them three times in last year. In winter I bring inside put in corner in spring it goes onto front covered porch gets morning sun thats all I never water it always seems to be wet due to humidity her in Dallas Fort worth area. I used a moisture probe has helped me a lot sure cut down on my water. An Jillian welcome to the forum Tk is actualy a bucket mouth but couldnt make that an officail title but we love her and wouldnt have it any other way. Same with you talk on girl tell us what you know. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Hi Jimmy Thanks so much for the welcome, I appreciate it! I'm just goin to assume that you know TKHooper well enough to call her a 'bucket mouth' LOL I don't know how the titles are given out, but mine says "Gardener." It should say, "My thumb is green, but it's a light, light shade of green." lol Thank you for the advice on the Aloe Vera plant - I think my brother had a probe years ago; that's bringing up memories for sure. He is the true gardener in the family and I wish I had his talents - one day it might happen, right?
Thank you again for the welcome - how do you keep straight all of the messages you write?? I'm confusing myself as to where I've been! lol I can't get to the site enough to keep caught up.
Have a terrific weekend!
-Jillian
* * * * Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God... Plants: 17 | From: MI | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 216.93.113.169
posted
Hi TKHooper I'm glad that I read your post this morning becuase it made me realize that having my aloe vera plant setting inside of a decorative outside pot probably isn't a good idea. Not only does it allow water to possibly stand in the bottom of the outter pot, it also makes it so that the soil doesn't have a great chance of drying out because it's doubly insulated. So whew! I'm glad I read this. It's now setting on a saucer so that it can drain properly. Thanks! The pot that we transplanted the aloe in is about 4" across, versus the teeny pot it was in at the Lowe's store. I hopt that this wasn't too much of a shock for it!
Also - is it recommended that any leaves that are dying from the bottom be removed? Can they just be pulled off? That one leaf that I was talking about yesterday is looking worse. Now it's turning a brownish color at the base and it's beginning to fall to the side pretty good. It feels very loose.
Take care! -Jillian
* * * * Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God... Plants: 17 | From: MI | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 216.93.113.169
posted
I haven't had to study up on that part yet so I'm not sure. Copy that part of your post down in house plants. Someone can give you the right answer. I'd just be guessing and probably wrong too.
Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.69.247
quote:Originally posted by Jillian: The only thing I see that isn't great is that one of the bottom leaves is loose, and it's a lighter shade of green than the rest of the plant. It kind of looks like that leave is dying off. The soil is still very dry, although I watered it a bit this morning. - Jillian
I had the same problem with a branch on the bottom of my Aloe, it was lose, brown and turning mushy, I just took it off, which is fine to do because these are the branches typically taken off for medicinally purposes anyway. I think I was overwatering, once I took it off the rest of the plant is doing great- and growing new shoots My biggest problem with Aloe (like the rest of my plants) is that I have a hard time not fussing over them and constantly watering.
Plants: 40 | From: Michigan | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 64.178.243.97
posted
Originally posted by newlife: [/qb][/QUOTE]I had the same problem with a branch on the bottom of my Aloe, it was lose, brown and turning mushy, I just took it off, which is fine to do because these are the branches typically taken off for medicinally purposes anyway. I think I was overwatering, once I took it off the rest of the plant is doing great- and growing new shoots My biggest problem with Aloe (like the rest of my plants) is that I have a hard time not fussing over them and constantly watering. [/QB][/QUOTE]
Hi Newlife :wavin: It's nice to meet you. Like you, I have a hard time with the fussing thing - I always think that the soil needs to be at least damp, so having this dry soil is against the grain! But we will learn to be patient, right?! I just took the mooshy leaf off this morning and I will keep my fingers crossed.
Take care! - Jillian
* * * * Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God... Plants: 17 | From: MI | Registered: Jun 2005
| Seeded: 216.93.42.58
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![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
A Texas Howdy JC I am in North Texas DFW midcities Glad to have another Texan on the forum. I live in Odessa for a few years My Grandaddy had home steat in Gasoline if you know where that is. I have Aloe Vera got it from my mother in New Mexico was in her washroom. I have itr on my covered porch I check moisture once in awhile never gets direct sun only filtered early morning sun. As you know we have high humidity here so I very seldom water it or my Centrinella plant that is now 4' tall. Your sandy loam mixed with a good soil is all you need for this plant. If too wet add a little sand (I use lava sand and /or Texas Green sand) it will cure the moister prbloem. Once again Welcome and Happy Gradening. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
I got the plant at a Lowe's store and the soil was bone dry - which I knew was a good thing - and the plant was root bound. My daughter and I transplanted it into a bigger pot, but not much bigger, and it gets mainly morning sun and then diffused light for the remainder of the day. The only thing I see that isn't great is that one of the bottom leaves is loose, and it's a lighter shade of green than the rest of the plant. It kind of looks like that leave is dying off. The soil is still very dry, although I watered it a bit this morning. ![[gabby]](graemlins/gabby.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I'm glad to know that longer posts are okay, anyway.![[grin]](graemlins/grinnnn.gif)
The pot that we transplanted the aloe in is about 4" across, versus the teeny pot it was in at the Lowe's store. I hopt that this wasn't too much of a shock for it!![[flower]](graemlins/flower.gif)
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