The Aloe vera is a fantastic plant to add to your garden collection as it has many great medical properties!
The gel of the aloe is great for healing cuts, burns, and other small injuries.
This is because of all the antioxidants and antibacterial properties existing in the plant.
Now, while Aloe vera is pretty easy to grow, novice plant parents often tend to overwater their Aloe.
This, in turn, can lead to a condition known as root rot, which can be fatal for your Aloe.
In this article, you will learn the reasons for root rot in Aloe and you will also come to know how to fix it.
Table of Contents
Aloe Vera Root Rot
Overwatering, poor drainage, incorrect light conditions, wrong temperature/climate, and fungi are major factors that cause root rot in an Aloe.
1. Overwatering
Overwatering is one of the most common reasons for aloe vera root rot.
This is because the Aloe is considered to belong to the group of succulents and these types of plants do not need a lot of water to survive.
The aloe vera has large fleshy leaves and stems that hold a lot of water. The roots of the aloe are small in comparison and cannot hold nearly as much water as the body of the plant.
This means that your plant needs to be watered less than your other house plants! The best way to water your aloe is to wait until the soil in your plant’s pot has completely dried up.
Ideally, you should be watering your plant once every week or second week.
The best way to determine if your soil has dried up is to gently place a finger an inch or two deep in your plant’s soil.
You will be able to feel if the soil is damp or not. Only water if it is indeed dried up.
When watering your aloe, it is very important not to disturb the plants’ leaves and stems.
Try and water your Aloe by its roots and on the side, avoid watering the leaves and stems of your aloe plant. water the soil of your plant thoroughly until the soil is damp.
Allowing the water to dry up before watering your plant again creates a “dry period” which allows for the roots of your plant to grow stronger.
Alternatively, if you overwater your aloe plant the roots will become weaker as they will become saturated and soggy.
This will cause the roots of your plant to rot and root rot will ultimately lead to your aloe dying.
2. Poor drainage system
Another common reason as to why your aloe’s roots could be rotting is a bad drainage system!
Succulents need a good drainage system so that the roots of the plant do not get waterlogged and start to rot.
Make sure your aloe plant has a good drainage system! This means that your pot plant should have drainage holes in the bottom of the pot so that excess water can drain through.
A good drainage system will also consist of soil that drains well and does not hold too much water. This means that soil mixtures such as perlite, small rocks, and sand should be mixed in with your aloe’s potting soil.
3. Not enough light
Your aloes vera needs a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 10 hours in direct sunlight to thrive. If your aloe does not get the required sun that it needs the roots of your plant will get weaker and start to rot.
Sunlight is important for your plant as it firstly regulates the moisture in your plant’s soil. Sunlight keeps the soil warm and dry which your plant needs to grow optimally!
If your plant does not get enough sun, the soil of your plant will be cold and damp and these are perfect conditions for root rot.
4. Wrong temperature and climate
The aloe plant is native to warm and dry areas. Therefore, your plant will not grow optimally if it is living in cold and wet conditions, instead, it will wilt, and root rot will occur.
The ideal temperature for your Aloe to grow in is approximately 60 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If your plant is living in conditions where it is 40 degrees fernet or lower, your aloe might be susceptible to root rot.
If you are growing your aloe plant indoors, make sure that your plant is in a warm area. I would recommend placing your plant by a window during the day so that it may receive extra warmth.
If your aloe plant is outside and the cold is getting to your plant, I would recommend that you make use of artificial lights. This is a great way to ensure your aloe plant always stays warm and dry.
5. Fungi
It is very important to ensure that your aloe plant has the right weather conditions! If your plant continuously stays damp and cold this could lead to a fungal infection of your aloe.
Damp and cold conditions are optimal conditions for fungus and bacteria to grow in. if the soil of your plant stays damp and cold fungus will start to grow in the soil of your plant and will thereafter infect your aloe.
Fungi that are from the Phytophthora and Pythium genus are infamous for infecting the roots of an aloe plant and causing root rot.
If your plant is infected with this fungus you will notice discoloration in the aloe’s leaves as well as the roots of your plant being black and soft. The roots will break off the plant’s body easily.
To prevent the root rot from killing your aloe plant, prune all the dead roots away.
I would advise you to repot your plant in fresh soil and leave it in a dry warm place to recover.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.