Why do aloe vera leaves turn yellow

Once the aloe starts to show signs of recover resume watering again ensuring the you allow the soil to dry out between each bout of watering. Some of the more affected leaves turn limp may drop off and if any individual leaves do not look as though they are recovering you can cut them back to the base with a sterile pair of pruners to reduce overall stress on the plant and promote recovery.

If the aloe continues to get worse and the leaves get progressively discolored despite best practices of care then root rot is the cause, at which point it can be very difficult to save aloe vera. Watch this helpful YouTube video for how to easily propagate aloe vera from cuttings to produce lots of extra plants at no extra cost:.

Drooping can also indicate over watering but this is usually accompanied with yellow or brown leaves. Aloe vera have specifically adapted to growing in open areas with around hours of sun per day with a preference for morning sun followed by bright indirect light in the afternoon. If your aloe vera is in the shade then the leaves can grow very long and weak with a lighter green colors with the leaves eventually drooping down under their own weight.

The lower leaves of the plant often turn brown and die back as the aloe redirects its energy to grow the leaves closer to the center towards light. The aloes leaves grow initially in the direction of the strongest source of light but usually droop downwards before it reaches any direct sun.

With hours of direct sun the aloe stays more compact and the leaves remain upright. If your aloe vera leaves are curling inwards read my article aloe vera leaves curling for how to save it. However aloe vera leaves can turn brown due to sunburn if they are moved from an area of shade to full sun. This most commonly happens when aloe vera comes from a store and it has been shaded for a period of time whilst on display.

The aloe vera then does its best to adapt to the lower level of light when indoors and the leaves turn to a lighter green rather then their characteristic dark green. Then when the aloe is brought home and planted in a pot or in the garden it is located in full sun.

The contrast in light intensity causes the more light sensitive leaves to burn and commonly turn brown. When grown outdoors, Aloe vera plants will flower. They produce clusters of dangling tubular yellow or orange flowers on long stalk which grow from the centre of the plant around early spring. They tend not to flower when grown indoors as houseplants.

Healthy Aloe vera plants are grey-green or blue-green in colour, with vibrant green young leaves. Aloe vera barbadensis var. Aloe vera var. When Aloe vera plants are subjected to unfavourable conditions, they may show some of the following signs:. A pair of unhealthy Aloe vera plants that have been overwatered and exposed to sudden cold weather.

When Aloe vera plants are overwatered, the leaves will fade in colour, yellow, brown off and eventually rot away. An ideal place is near a sunny house wall where the roof overhangs and protects them from the rain. I have mine containers of aloe vera growing against a west facing wall, where the afternoon winter sun warms the wall and elevates the winter night temperature around the plants.

Overpotting a plant can cause waterlogging! Aloe vera plants, just like all other succulents, need to be grown in a soil mixture drains freely when grown in pots.

This has the same effect as overwatering on the plant. Transplant Aloe vera plants every two years to freshen to growing medium and aerate the roots.

Aloe vera plants may be very tough and adaptable, but any plant will get stressed if the growing conditions are changed suddenly. Indoors to Outdoors — If an plant has been growing indoors for quite a while, putting it into outdoors in harsh direct sun will usually burn the leaf tips. Unexpected Drought Conditions — plants dependent on rainfall can become moisture stressed during extended heatwaves which lead to drought conditions.

In fact, aloe is succulent and can do without water for a long time, but this does not mean that it will thrive. You need to water the aloe as often as it needs. Water the aloe when the soil dries out to about half the depth of the pot. You can use a soil moisture meter to determine when to water.

If you grow aloe in a lot of sun and a hot climate, you will have to water it quite often. Whereas in northern states, watering should be less frequent. You will also need to reduce the frequency of watering over the winter.

Also, mature aloes can store more water than young ones. Therefore, they should be watered less frequently than young plants. Improper lighting can cause aloe leaves to turn yellow. This plant needs 12 hours of direct sunlight, but if there is too much sun, problems can occur.

In most cases, aloe grows in a south-facing window or on a balcony. It is also common for owners to take this plant outdoors in the summer. In all these cases, the aloe gets the maximum amount of light and everything seems to be fine. But if the weather is too sunny and hot, the leaves can get burnt.

This is especially true if you take it out of the house to grow it outside. To avoid this, accustom your plant to the new amount of sun gradually.

Also, when the heat is too intense, place the aloe so that it has a little shade. When the heat subsides, return it to its old location. In winter, the aloe needs much less light. So you can even put it on the east or west window. Find out experimentally exactly how much light your plant needs at different times of the year. In this case, you need to install artificial lighting for your aloe. Changes in growing conditions can cause aloe leaves to turn yellow. But if the temperature change is drastic, the leaves may turn yellow.

Abrupt changes in temperature often occur if the aloe is grown outdoors. It can be hot during the day, and the temperature can drop dramatically at night. To avoid this, you should only take the aloe outdoors if you are sure it will be warm at night. The temperature in the room where the aloe is grown should be at least Also, avoid placing the aloe near heaters or air conditioners. Too much fertilizer is often the cause of yellowing and then dying aloe leaves.

If you notice that it turns yellow, find out what the cause is and fix it immediately. Otherwise, browning aloe vera is a sign of long-term neglect that may not be reversed. My name is Alex K. I am a web geek who loves gardening and connecting with nature. I maintain a small backyard organic garden from which I source most of my green food. I hope to help you learn something new about gardening.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Why is my aloe vera plant turning yellow? Overwatering 2. Potting shock 3. Underwatering 4. Insufficient light 5. Nutrient deficiency 6.

Diseases 7. Fertilizer burn How to fix a yellow aloe plant 1. Dry out overwatered soil 2. Water the aloe plant once per week 3. Provide bright indirect light 4. Apply fertilizer less frequently twice a year 5.

Treat diseases and pests 6. Use a small-sized pot for easy acclimatization Can a yellow aloe plant turn green again? Here are the 7 causes of yellowing in aloe vera: 1. Overwatering Too much water quickly suffocates the roots of your aloe vera plant making it difficult to absorb water, nutrients, and oxygen.

Potting shock While an aloe vera plant may be hardy and adaptable, too much stress can lead to yellowing in its leaves. Underwatering Aloe vera plants can tolerate drought and still thrive well between two and three months without water. Insufficient light Aloe plants like any other green plants rely on their green-coloring matter to change light energy into chemical energy. Nutrient deficiency Aloe plants thrive and survive in nutrient-poor soils in their natural habitats.

Diseases Aloe vera and similar plants are highly resistant to diseases and even pests but they can still suffer from some problems such as root rot, fungal stem rot, soft rot, leaf rust, and leaf rot. All of these diseases quickly manifest in the leaves of the plant, with some of them showing signs such as: Leaves turning yellow Brown spots on the leaves Slowed growth Soft and mushy leaves, etc As the diseases progress rapidly, you might notice tips of the leaves drying out instead of being well developed.

Fertilizer burn Yellowing aloe leaves are probably a sign of fertilizer burn, which occurs if you apply too much synthetic fertilizer.