Learn some basic steps to revive your dying aloe vera
The ginormous amount of health benefits of the aloe vera plant makes it the jack of all trades, be it soothing your sunburned skin or helping your body detox.
It is not only the most commonly used herbal remedy in the US, but it is also the easiest plant to grow at your home.
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This plant has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, choleretic, and wound-healing properties. Furthermore, the juice of the aloe vera plant improves appetite and digestion and strengthens the immune system.
Learn the necessary steps to add life to your wilted aloe vera plant
If you don’t live in the tropics, it is pretty easy to grow aloe vera indoors as a house plant. It prefers strong sunlight, and overwatering is far more likely to kill it.
While aloe vera can put up with low light and can thrive on occasional watering, it is important to take note of when your aloe vera plant is struggling to survive and probably taking its last breath.
The following signs indicate that your plant might not be having a healthy growth.
The leaves of the aloe vera plant are lying flat. This probably means that it is not getting sufficient sunlight.
The leaves are thin, curled, and yellow or brown.
The plant is growing very slow.
The roots are black and mushy.
Do not worry if your plant looks a little under the weather. There are more chances of it surviving if you take the necessary measures to revive it.
Steps to Revive Your Aloe Vera Plant
The most common reason for aloe vera plant death is root rot. In order to determine if that is the case, you need to take the plant out of its pot.
Things you’ll need:
Items needed to revive your wilted aloe vera plant
Trowel
Rubber hand gloves
Pot - 1/3 larger than the root system
Water in a spray bottle
Potting soil used for succulent plants
Step 1. Remove the aloe vera plant from its current pot and examine the roots
Start by carefully taking the plant out of the pot
Run a trowel around the interior of the pot to loosen up the soil. The plant will come out this way.
Ensure you’re keeping the plant as steady as possible. Do not pull the plant; hold it instead.
Clean the roots by spraying water on them.
Step 2. Remove the unhealthy roots
Thin out the roots keeping only the healthy ones
Examine the roots for any black or mushy roots.
If there are any, use a sterilized knife or scissors to cut it out carefully.
Step 3. Lodge the tended plant into a new pot with the appropriate potting soil
After removing the unhealthy roots, plant the aloe vera again
Once you are done with the chopping of unhealthy roots and removing the wilted leaves, replant the aloe vera.
Take a pot that is 1/3 larger than the root system of the plant. Line the bottom of the pot with a coffee filter and fill it halfway with potting soil for succulent plants.
Place the tended plant’s root in the pot and cover it up with the soil. Ensure that the entire root ball is covered with soil.
Spray a few wisps of water on the base of the plant. Do not pour a lot of water as the plant needs a few days to readjust to its new pot and repair any broken roots.
The planted aloe vera shows healthy growth
Quick Tip: You can create your own potting soil by mixing equal parts of sand, gravel or pumice, and soil. Make sure you use coarse sand rather than fine sand, as fine sand would clump and hold the water, preventing water drainage.
Tips to take care of your aloe vera plant
Be careful while troweling as the roots of the aloe vera plant grow horizontally and not vertically and may get damaged.
If the majority of your plant has damaged roots, it may be beyond saving. You can try to save the plant by removing the largest leaves and cutting off half of the plant. With fewer leaves, it will be easier for undamaged roots to direct nutrients to the entire plant.
Do not snap the leaves when you want to use fresh aloe vera gel. Cut the leaf base with a sharp knife where the leaf meets the soil. Similarly cut the dead leaves to main a healthy growth.
You can also extract the gel and store it for later use.
Do not bury the plant deeper than it was in the previous pot while repotting.
Place gravel or pebbles on top of the soil to reduce the evaporation of water.
Water only when the soil is dry. You can tell if the soil is dry by pressing your index finger a few inches down into the soil.
Water your plant less in colder months and more in warmer months.
If your plant is outside, watering it once in every 2 weeks should be sufficient.
If you keep your plant inside, water it once in 3 or 4 weeks.
