Hi all! As you can see, this aloe plant has super long droopy leaves!! I love this plant and don’t want to lose him. I’ve googled + searched this sub but still don’t feel I’ve found my answers.
I’m assuming I need a deeper pot and maybe some structural support. But what mistakes might I also be making in terms of care?
I water it very lightly, about once a week; bottom has some rocks to help with drainage. It’s about 6ft from a window in a bright room.
by ashley_lynne
8 Comments
Needs more light and water. Give it a deep soak to plump it up. Deep watering every 2-3 weeks. The pot is fine as long as it has a drainage hole in the bottom.
It needs to be in a pot with drain holes. Rocks at the bottom do not provide any drainage. It actually stores water, raises the water table and promotes rot. It needs to also be in well draining soil and when you water, it needs to be thoroughly until water comes out from the holes. Then let it dry completely and then some. Watering little bits at a time with no drainage will cause more harm than good.
Oh… sweetheart.
In my 50 years of being a horticultural grower, retailer and speaker… I’ve never seen this happen to an Aloe plant
This didn’t happen over the past few weeks, I’m just curious if this is for real.
Aloes are succulents, not cactus.
They need very bright light and water when they look a little wrinkled.
They send off little shoots when the plant is mature- forgive me, and please tell me I’m wrong… are you very serious?
Aloe won’t usually send up tall stalk in middle with drooping ‘leaves’ around the sides. Also- if this plant stays out of a sunny window… what did you think would happen to this sun loving native plant?
Oh my. I don’t mean to sound cruel, but I seriously have never seen this happen before. 🌼
Idk but this looks fuckt asf
Another thing.. DO NOT put it in a bigger pot
If anything, smaller is better
Too much soil means too much water.
This sucker needs to seriously dry out
Your plant is lacking light. It should be receiving direct sunlight or grow lights. It’s etiolated due to lack of light. These plants grow quite large. When you introduce it to light it must be gradual. First bright indirect light, then morning sun. This will make it grow compact.
https://preview.redd.it/uwt2hfk1290f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac5558e3f9d401694ab7b733797b1bb9ab792a4e
Here’s what you do:
1. Get some cactus potting mix.
2. Get a pot that is a bit deeper, but less wide than the current pot. It absolutely must have drainage holes at the bottom. Bonus for teracotta. Get a drip tray for under it and fill it with pebbles.
3. Get the aloe out of this soil and inspect the roots. Aloe roots should be thick, fleshy and firm. If the roots are mushy, cut them off. That means too much water, and rot. If the roots are thin and stringy, cut them off. That means not enough water. If the roots were mushy, let it sit without soil on a windowsill for a day before repotting. (I’m serious, won’t hurt it). If the roots are dry, get it pitted that day.
4. Repot in the cacti soil.
5. When you repot, pay close attention to how the soil feels. It’s mostly dry but slightly damp.
6. Water the aloe deeply. Best way is to put it in the sink and water till the water comes out of the drainage hole. Wait until it is done dripping further most part. Then sit it in its drainage tray.
7. Place in the sunniest spot you have. It needs fuuuuuulllll sun.
8. In a week, shove your finger into the soil up to your middle knuckle. If the soil is wet, wait. If it’s fully dry, water it again. I water mine about every 10 days. A good amount of water. Mine is twice as big, tho, it needs more water. Yours might go every two weeks? But always a deep watering. Otherwise, you’re only watering half the plant. This is likely why you have such a weird shape.
9. Those shriveled leaves are probably going to dry up and get really papery. Don’t let that bother you. Keep it in sun, water deeply when the soil is dry. Always make sure it drains well. It should live, you’ve just gotta be patient.
She is thirsty
She is in need of light
She is huggable
She tired