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Why Is My Aloe Plant Turning Yellow (7 Causes)

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The aloe plant is the favorite of many houseplant growers. It’s unpretentious, easy to breed, bright green all year round, and has real eco-pharmacy, making it unique. 

With the help of aloe juice, you can treat a runny nose, sore throat, skin diseases and eliminate gastrointestinal problems. It saves in case of burns and injuries. The immune and stimulating properties of the aloe plant have also been proven.

The leaves help prepare masks, lotions, and extracts because they are healthy, juicy, and rich in color. When the plant suddenly begins to turn yellow, growers need to know what the cause is urgent. So, why is my aloe plant turning yellow?

Why is my aloe plant turning yellow
“My aloe has leaves drooping and turning yellow” via Reddit

Why is My Aloe Plant Turning Yellow?

1. Excess and lack of light

My aloe plant is turning yellow because of excess and lack of sunlight. In hot summer, sunburns often appear on the leaves. But more often, the leaves begin to turn yellow in autumn and winter. 

It is believed that the aloe plant is resting at this time, which means that it does not require frequent watering and unnecessarily high temperatures. The plant will feel best in a cool and semi-dark room. In most cases, it is this error that becomes fatal to the flower.

2. Temperature violation

The optimum air temperature for an aloe plant, regardless of the season, is 23 to 25 ​​°C, while the plant can feel great at lower rates. However, there is a condition – the air temperature must drop gradually.

A sharp cold snap with a temperature drop of 10 °C will make the aloe plant turn yellow. However, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight in hot weather (above 29 °C) will also manifest similarly.

Often, aloe growers suffer from sudden temperature changes, which are exposed on a glazed loggia or balcony in the spring-summer period. Therefore, it is very important to follow the weather forecasts and, depending on the situation, shade or take the plant indoors.

3. Wrong substrate

Like most succulents, the aloe plant prefers light and loose soil, preferably with weak acidity, although the plant will like neutral indicators. With the wrong substrate, the aloe plant will turn yellow.

Substrate for aloe is supposed to be two parts of leafy soil, one part of baking powder (perlite, vermiculite, river sand), and 1 part of humus. 

The soil should be laid in layers, with a 2-3-centimeter drainage layer. Then followed by a substrate, and on top of the near-trunk circle of aloe, mulched with sand, fine gravel, perlite, or vermiculite.

4. Failure to follow the watering schedule

The aloe plant can turn yellow because of a lack and excess water. But how to understand whether a plant needs an increase or decrease in water?

The easiest way to check if the plant has enough water is to feel the soil with a wooden stick. If the ground is dry, water the aloe plant, but do it without fanaticism because it needs a little time to recover.

If you cannot determine the degree of moisture content of the substrate with the help of improvised means, take a close look at the leaves of the plants. 

In under-watered aloes, they are noticeably thinner and yellower than in healthy plants, while in waterlogged ones, the leaves are somewhat brownish than yellow. At the same time, the turgor can remain quite elastic.

Why is my aloe plant turning yellow 2
“my aloe are turning yellow at the tips” via Reddit

5. Stress

The Aloe plant is quite unpretentious. However, like all plants, aloe can begin to suffer from the stress caused by an abrupt change in conditions, making it turn yellow.

Therefore, do not do it at once if you want to rearrange the plant on a window facing the other side of the world or temporarily move it to the balcony. Accustom the aloe to new conditions gradually, repeatedly increasing the time the plant stays in a new place.

6. Incorrect feeding

Yellowing of the aloe plant indicates a violation of fertilization. This plant requires fertile soil that is well-drained and moist. Rich in both minerals and organics is paramount.

Yellowing leaves can signal that top dressing is applied too often, not benefiting the root system. Also, it can mean the soil was fertilized in winter when the succulent is resting or immediately after purchase in a store. 

7. Root rot

Violations of the requirements for transplanting aloe plants in poorly drained soil and heavy soil that causes stagnant moisture can provoke the appearance of root rot.

This intern makes this plant turn yellow. It manifests itself by the leaves becoming thinner, looking watery and withered, and the old ones fall off. Then the color gradually changes from juicy green to yellow.

These signs indicate that the plant is affected by root rot. Dying roots cannot provide aloe with normal nutrition, which contributes to the appearance of all these signs.

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How to Care for Aloe Plant to Prevent It from Turning Yellow

  • Choosing a place for the plant

Aloe plant loves bright sunlight and heat. The best option would be to place the plant pot on the southern windowsill. It is essential to monitor the absence of drafts in the room. If your home does not have well-lit windows, you can purchase a unique plant lamp.

  • Pot selection

When growing aloe plants, plastic and earthen pot with holes for draining the water are suitable. To determine the correct container size, you need to measure the diameter of the aloe crown. The diameter of the pot should be about half the size.

  • Soil selection

Aloe plants can grow in soil with any composition other than peat. On request, in specialized stores, you can purchase land intended for succulents. Another option is to mix the ground yourself. To do this, you need to take sand, humus, and leafy earth in equal proportions.

  • Watering

Like other succulents, the aloe plant is watered only after the soil is almost completely dry; otherwise, it may rot. In winter, the interval between waterings is increased.

  • Top dressing

Aloe plant needs regular feeding during the warm season – spring and summer. Any fertilizer explicitly designed for succulents is suitable for this.

Fertilizer is used only in the evening, immediately after abundant watering. In this way, you can avoid scalding the roots. Aloe plants should not be fed after transplant, during hibernation, or illness.


Conclusion

The Aloe plant is a succulent that is found in almost every home. The popularity is due not only to unpretentiousness to care but also to the healing properties.

Thanks to which the plant is considered a home doctor. Despite its endurance, there are times when the aloe plant turns yellow. It is worth considering why this happens using this article.