Keeping My Aloe Plant Alive

[fuumarumota]

Yep, aloes are very sensitive to over watering. Just leave it until the soil is completely dry, then water it.

 

[Kirstie Love]

If you're watering it every 10 days you're probably over-watering. Aloe is drought resistant so you're better off under watering than over-watering. Only water it when it's *completely* dry

 

[NatalieW]

I just googled what you suggested, the only thing I found that might be a cause for the bending leaves is over fertilization. But again I have not fertilized it enough for that to have happened, and I rarely even water it unless it needs it. It's in perfect lighting, and temperature. I live in NJ, and the weather is so back and forth. I am afraid to place it outside at this point. The rest of my house doesn't have adequate lighting at all. My other succulents all died when I placed them in other rooms. So unfortunately, I think I have to keep it in here. Other than that I do not know what else I can do. That's why I'm trying to find suggestions. Maybe I am doing something wrong that I'm not catching onto through a google search. I appreciate any advice. I wanted to repot into a terra cotta pot about twice the size so the leaves are being held up by the pot itself. I just find it odd that they don't stand up on their own like every other aloe plant I've seen. Some of the leaves also fall off when they get too heavy. From what I read, this is a sign of over watering. However, from what I have been doing that shouldn't be the case. That's why I am thinking there has to be something else I'm completely unaware of that is causing my aloe plant to grow slowly, wither and possibly just give out in the near future. As much as I have googled, I still landed here. I am sure there are other's out there who have been in my situation and were able to save their plant with special care. If placing it outside really is the only option, I can do that once summer is here. But then comes the problem again with winter and the plant reverting back to this.

perhaps you are actually underwatering it? They don't like over watering for sure, but they also don't like a very dry location either ... if not getting enough water, the leaves dent and bend. My aloe is watered weekly, but not heavy waterings. Also, make sure you're not watering with treated tap water.

do some image searches on over watered aloe vs underwatered aloe...you may just need to find the balance this plant needs ..and also be sure it's a well draining pot

 

[Corzhens]

Your aloe vera definitely looks malnourished. I'm sorry if I cannot give a sound advice but our aloe vera in the planter box in the front garden is more than 10 years with us. We just trim by removing some offspring that tend to become mother plant. Maybe you can put it out for a longer time and let it recover. After a week and you cannot see any development, perhaps you need to replant it in a new pot with a different planting medium - a mixture of loam soil and extenders like coconut coir or rice husk.