What to Do When Aloe Vera Leaves Go Soft? Essential Fixes for Beginners

Aloe vera is a succulent plant with evergreen, thick, fleshy leaves that loves bright light and a warm, dry environment. In recent years, potted aloe vera has soared in popularity, ranking among the top whether as an office plant or a home potted plant. When growing aloe vera, what causes aloe leaves to go soft? What should you do about it? How can you grow it so the leaves stay greener?

1. Causes of Aloe Vera Leaves Going Soft

1. Too much light

When growing aloe vera normally, it needs plenty of sunlight. In sufficient sunlight it can carry out photosynthesis, which helps it grow better, but the light must not be too intense, otherwise it will cause a large amount of water to evaporate from the leaves, making the leaves go soft and reducing the aloe's ornamental value. If the aloe does not get enough light, the leaves will lose their color, so you must pay attention to this when growing it.

2. Overwatering

Aloe vera is fairly drought-tolerant and does not need much water when grown normally. If you water too frequently, water will accumulate in the pot, causing the aloe's roots to rot, which affects the aloe's ability to absorb nutrients from the soil and its normal growth, making the leaves gradually go soft and slowly turn yellow, and it may even cause the whole aloe plant to wither and die.

3. Compacted soil

Aloe vera has very high requirements for its growing environment. It not only needs to grow in a well-ventilated, sunny place, but also needs soil that does not easily compact and is loose with good drainage. If the soil is not chosen well and becomes compacted, the aloe will be unable to absorb nutrients, the leaves will gradually go soft, and the aloe's ornamental value will suffer.

4. Too low a temperature

Aloe vera tolerates high temperatures but not cold. It grows best at 20-30°C. If the ambient temperature drops below 10°C, the aloe will stop growing and the leaves will gradually go soft. If it drops below 5°C, the aloe's roots will freeze, the leaves will gradually turn yellow and wither, and it may even cause the whole aloe plant to die, which has a huge impact on the aloe.

2. Solutions for Soft Aloe Vera Leaves

1. Solution for too much light: if the aloe leaves have gone soft because of too much light, move the aloe to a shady spot, give it a moderate amount of water, and care for it attentively. Wait until the leaves gradually recover, then move it to a spot with indirect light. Every summer, you need to protect it from the sun, while in spring, autumn, and winter it can be in full sun all day.

2. Solution for overwatering: stop watering immediately, dig the aloe out of the potting soil, cut off the rotted roots, replant it in fresh soil, and place it in a sunny spot with attentive care. You need to master the correct watering method so the leaves return to normal. Generally, in spring and autumn water once every 7-10 days, in summer once every 2-3 days, and in winter once every 15-20 days.

3. Solution for compacted soil: promptly replace it with soil suitable for growth. You can mix leaf mold and turfy soil in a 3:2 ratio, or mix leaf mold, red soil, and sand in a 3:1:1 ratio. Both of these soil mixes are suitable for growing aloe vera. You also need to loosen the soil once a week to keep it airy, and repot and change the soil once every two years, which benefits the aloe's growth.

4. Solution for too low a temperature: if the aloe leaves have gone soft because of too low a temperature, first move it indoors. You can use an air conditioner, heater, or similar to keep the temperature above 10°C to help the aloe overwinter safely, so its leaves return to normal and it grows better. Every winter you need to do a good job of keeping it warm.

3. How Do You Grow Aloe Vera So Its Leaves Stay Green?

1. Supplement with potassium fertilizer

Cause: during care, if you give the plant too little potassium fertilizer, the lower part of its leaves will become shriveled and will also show scorched, withered patches.

Solution: during care you should apply more potassium fertilizer to let its leaves return to normal growth. When fertilizing normally, apply light fertilizer frequently.

2. Provide appropriate shade

Cause: if the care environment has too intense light, the plant's leaves will show signs of water loss. Especially in summer, if you do not shade it in time, its leaves will very easily become shriveled.

Solution: when the light is intense, take shading measures, or place it in a shady spot for a period of care. In summer, when the sun is fierce, it must not be exposed to direct sunlight.