The aloe vera is popular as a houseplant. It is considered hardy and easy to care for and is pretty to look at with its blue-green leaves. What can be the reason for the aloe vera leaves turning brown?

In a nutshell

  • Aloe Vera is used as a medicinal and houseplant
  • healthy plants have blue-green, pointed leaves with small thorns
  • Brown discolouration indicates care errors or an incorrectly chosen location
  • if you react quickly, you can often save the plant

The healthy aloe vera

The health of the real aloe, as the tropical houseplant is also called, is reflected in the blue-green, undamaged leaves. These have strong tips and small thorns on the edges. The growth is rosette-shaped. At the beginning of the year, a long-stemmed grape flower forms in the middle of the rosette. The yellow, orange or red tubular flowers appear in spring.

Notice: The aloe vera flowers for the first time after three to four years.

Brown leaves due to care errors

In the following you will find out which care mistakes you can make with aloe vera and how you can prevent the leaves from turning brown.

Mistakes in irrigation

The robust house and balcony plant requires little water. It belongs to the succulents and is able to store moisture in the pointed, thick fleshy leaves.
Watering Notes:

  • Only water between April and October when the soil is dry.
  • Discontinue watering completely in the fall and winter.
  • Pour the soil from below only. - Do not wet the rosette with moisture.
  • Spraying the plant is not necessary.

Signs of lack of moisture

A lack of moisture is indicated by a red coloring of the leaf tips. This is the indication that you need to water the aloe vera more frequently.

Signs of too much moisture

Much more often than too little watering, too much watering is the reason for discoloration of the leaves. Brown leaves indicate too much moisture.

Tip: Stop watering for several days. Only water again when the substrate is dry.

rain

Many plant lovers put their aloe on the balcony or in the garden. Garden visitors can also enjoy the magnificent plant. When choosing a location, make sure it is protected from the rain. Find a suitable place for potted plants, for example on the wall of the house, under an overhanging roof.
Be careful with overpots! The trade offers a large number of decorative planters. However, these harbor the risk of promoting waterlogging. With regular checks you can prevent waterlogging. If there is excess water in the pot, drain it off.

expanded clay

Tip: Fill plant pots with pottery shards. The drainage layer prevents waterlogging.

Sun

Although the robust plant can withstand heat waves well, direct sunlight should be avoided. Burns on the leaves can otherwise occur. This sunburn results in a hard, woody leaf surface. This protects the plant from damage to the interior of the leaf.

Tip: Choose a sheltered location for balcony or outdoor plants.

lack of space

Lack of space is one of the main causes of brown leaves. Repot the plant every two years. Choose a planter that leaves at least three centimeters of space around the root ball.

Tip: Put expanded clay or pottery shards in the pot. Use cactus and succulent soil for planting.

The aloe vera needs enough space.

relocation

Among the causes of brown discoloration on the aloe leaves is a sudden change of location. Although the plant is very robust and easy to care for, it only tolerates a move from indoors to outdoors with caution.

Tip: After the winter quarters, slowly acclimate the aloe to the new environment. When the nights get colder in autumn, place the plant in a sheltered spot in good time.

weather change

Long dry periods in summer are increasing in Central European regions. The aloe in the field can usually tolerate this well. However, when thunderstorms and heavy rain occur afterwards, the dry, impermeable earth quickly causes waterlogging. The plant, which is heavily stressed by the change in weather, reacts with rot.
Not only the change from dry to wet, but also the change from hot to cold temperatures causes problems for the aloe.

Tip: Prevent waterlogging. Loosen the soil of the pot and bed plants during a long drought. Choose a sheltered location.

Aloe vera does not tolerate waterlogging

over-fertilization

Real aloe requires few nutrients. It thrives on poor substrate. If over-fertilized, aloe leaves and tips will turn brown. Prevent damage. Supply indoor and balcony plants with cactus fertilizer in spring.

Tip: If too much accumulation of nutrients in the substrate leads to discoloration of the leaves, repot the plant. Provide them with fresh substrate. Do not fertilize in the following weeks.

nutrient deficiency

A lack of nutrients can also lead to growth damage in the robust aloe vera and cause the leaves and tips to turn brown. A lack of nutrients is reflected in reduced growth, and there are no flowers either.

Tip: Provide indoor and balcony plants with succulent fertilizer. Use as directed on the package insert.

frequently asked Questions

What help is there for plants that have been watered too much?

Take the aloe out of the pot. Remove the damaged aloe leaves and rotten roots with a clean knife. Leave them on a kitchen towel for four days until the interfaces are dry. Plant the plant in new substrate. Water after a week at the earliest.

Can aloe vera be fertilized with flower fertilizer?

If you use ordinary flower fertilizer, reduce the concentration to 25 percent of the specified amount. We recommend special fertilizer for cacti and succulents. This is tailored to the nutrient requirements of the plants.

Can diseases be the cause of brown spots?

Aloe Vera is a medicinal plant that has been known for centuries. Its healing power is still used today for various human diseases. She herself is only very rarely attacked by diseases.


What makes the aloe leaves glassy, soft and brown?

When succulent leaves become glassy, cold is often the cause. Aloe, which comes from Africa, does not tolerate temperatures below five degrees Celsius. Be sure to bring balcony plants to winter quarters early in the fall.

Category:

Garden design