I’m not going to lie I haven’t been taking the best care of it in the last year. The leaves however are getting really flat, not just lying flat (which I read is from lack of sun) but the leaves themselves seem like they have nothing in them. They aren’t thick like the others. Also I am so new to this any other tips and tricks would be great. Such as how do I know it’s in the right pot? How do I repot it? When do I repot it? How often should I actually water it? How much water should I give it? His name is Francis and any advice on helping to keep him not only alive but well is very much appreciated. He did have dead leaves but they have been snipped off and soil was put on the ends (I read that helps seal the leaf from the aloe coming out?)
-
1Can you add a photo of the plant and its pot please? And where are you in the world?– BambooCommented Apr 9, 2019 at 17:11
3 Answers
Ok faced somewhat same issue. My wife brought the aloe vera siblings from her parent's house and they were fat aloe vera. I did which i do mostly (i think some crazy obsession i have) i changed the pot and added crazy amount of fertilizer (dried cow dung) few days later leaves started to droop and thin. after a month i took out the plant and low behold roots totally gone. Cleaned the plant with water added new soil without fertilizer and after a month it recovered and making new pups.
So don't over water they love to dry out. im in Arabia so you know its hot here. i add water after a month during winter and 20 days later in summer. Keep it under indirect sunlight.
Aloes are a type of succulent, they need a lot of sun and occasional water. When watering you want to completely soak the soil and then allow it to dry completely before watering again. There’s a big misconception that they need frequent fertilization, but your soil does that for you. For the first 6 months when reporting I don’t fertilize because you can kill your plant. Also look into natural fertilizers you can add to the soil instead of the chemical kind, if using chemical fertilizer just add a few squirts/drops into a bottle of water and give it to your plant that way. Specifically for my spiky aloe I usually water when I see the leaves aren’t plump and tough. If it needs watered the leaves will be more indented and thin with a squishier feel to them. If you end up noticing the ends of your leaf or leaves are browning, once it dries up completely feel free to cut it with a sterile knife or scissors with enough room that your not cutting any of the heathy leaf. Also having a big enough pot for your aloe is important, it has a very shallow but wide root system so pot accordingly. Use fast draining succulent soil and refrain from using pure potting soil as it will create root rot. Good luck!
I've seen aloe leaves plump up big, and round after letting the plant have water up to about half way down the pot, as it will develop a taproot that will bring water to the surface. For an example of what the plant likes see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvMUY6TNrR4
