A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Aloe Vera rot.. brock

Ok I was watering the dog and noticed a bunch of my aloe vera on the floor. The biggest part of the plant rotted at the base and fell out of the pot!! I know it's not from over watering cause me and my black thumb forget to water on a regular bases. I bought the plant a couple of years ago and it seems to like it here even if it doesn't get lots of water.
Any way what should I do with the plant parts? Should I put them in water?? Will they root?? or should I just chuck them and be happy that there is still something in the pot.

Hi Robin! Welcome to the forum. I love aloe vera plants and used to have lots of them in my previous life!

What you can do is cut off the bottom (rotted part) of the plant. Let it callous over (it might take a few days) by leaving it on your kitchen counter or something...once it's calloused, you can treat it with some rooting hormone and pop it into some well drained soil - you might add some vermiculite or even sand to potting soil (mix 50/50). Don't water at this point - but you may want to mist it with a spray bottle. Keep it in a bright spot (not direct sun though) and check for roots after a few weeks. Hope that helps...keep us updated!

Funny that! I was just searching the web to find a reason for the exact same problem (except diferent member of aloe family), and i came across this post!

I am a bit mad about my aloe variegatas and they cover the whole of my space under my window. I had a favourite which was once about 40cm....and it kept shrinking. I came back from holiday and it had dissapeared into the soil. (definitly not due to watering as I also have a far from green thumb)

I have recovered 2 bits that look alive but the rest is green mush and smells like dead fish. I took it outside and dug around and found one or too small but visible insects. They look like small pink/orange slimy woodlice except for being soft. There was also a foul yellow stuff left by the bottom of the leaves.

The plant was sentimental due to various reasons and I hope that the alive bits will grow more roots.

Does anyone know what the mites/bugs are? and if my huge collection is under threat? adn can i cure the rest if they too have the same problem?

Sorry that is way above my head! I just thought I would come on and tell MaryReboakly that so far so good they are still green. :-) I'm really a danger to some plants. I can't have Spider plants any more, Ivys are fine... or at least so far.

Take the plant parts that are rotted, cut them open and use the Aloe- it makes a great hand lotion, other then that I don't know what to say because my Aloe seems to be doing the same thing. I tried not watered it for several weeks, and then it looked worse so I tried watering it again and it still looks bad.

Robintoo! I'm glad to hear it's still green, and hopefully rooting away!

Mara, welcome to the forum from this side of the big pond! Wish I knew what your little bugs were, but I sure don't... it does sound like may be your soil isn't draining well, which will lead to rot, stink, and even harmful insects - aloe's need to be reeeeally well drained. I would dispose of the soil that you have right now, and wash your pot(s) with a bit of bleach and water, and replace with new sandy soil.

I'm not sure about the bugs, but may be someone will pass through that can help you on that question. good luck!

newlife - I used to keep a small aloe vera plant on my desk (back in the days of my desk-job LOL!) and I'd pinch off a bit to put on my papercuts, burns, or even blemishes. Sometimes I'd split open the small piece so that the 'insides' were touching the affected area of skin, and then I'd put a band-aid over it for a day or so. I hope some of this helps you with your aloes too.

Keep us posted!

MaryReboakly, I agree Aloe is amazing. I use it for all the stuff you mentioned- that is in fact why I bought an Aloe plant. For years I have soem sort of a nasty summer heat rash on my fingers,terrible itching, burning,my fingers looked as if they had been burned, I had to wear bandaids over the ends of my fingers to keep infection away. Doctors couldn't even tell me what this was- or give me anything that helped- but this came every summer like clockwork with warm weather and lasted until cold weather came again. It was unbearable. At the start of this summer I was in an Antique store and they had an Aloe plant for sale, I broke a little piece off the end and used it on my finger, and by the end of the day my hands had cleared up. I bought a plant the next day, and even through this heat wave we had this summer I have had very few problems with my hands, and when I do a little Aloe and I have relief for days. I tell every one about this plant.

Wow that's an amazing story! I'm so glad you found something that helps - I have to get some aloe now that we're all settled in the new house (well sorta!) - I miss having it around - it sure does come in handy, and is relatively easy to take care of for those of us that have a hard time remembering to water indoor plants

If Aloe has stuck around as cure for thousands of years there must be something to it. When I went on the internet to learn more about Aloe I was amazed at all things it's used for- they are even experimenting with it for arthritis and even for for Aids- something to do with it's anti-inflamitory properties.