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jrc1963 (original poster member #26531) posted at 12:54 AM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
I am a plant murder... I killed an Aloe... I didn't think it was possible to even do this..
It's all limp and sad and wilted... It was in a pot with way tooooo much water for a while... not sure how that happened.
It got to the point where leaves were falling off and going *splat* they were so water logged.
So I repotted it into a bigger pot with fresh soil and now it's just sad and limp and dying.
What did I do wrong?
Me: BSO - 56 Him: FWSO - 79 DS - 23 D-Day - 12-11-09, R - he finally came homeYour life is an Occasion. Rise to it. - Mr. Magorium, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"
Lionne ( member #25560) posted at 4:14 AM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
You said it, too much water...
Me-BS-71 in May HIM-SAFWH-74 I just wanted a normal life.Normal trauma would have been appreciated.
sad12008 ( member #18179) posted at 4:59 AM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
Yup; they say more plants are killed by overwatering than drying out. My understanding is that the roots start to rot, among other things. If you can set it outside for awhile (it's warm enough there in FL, if it's not already outdoors), it may be able to dry out enough to rally.
You can't fill a cup with no bottom.
k94ever ( member #11176) posted at 3:05 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^^
Aloes are pretty tough. Give it a shot and see what happens.
Do we need to put your pictures up in Garden Centers so they won't sell to you?
k9
BS:61
WS: 53
Betrayed: 24 years
Affairs: 15 (2 lasted 3 months. Rest were ONS)
WS died: 16 May 2011
Do not stay in your hurt forever. Choose to move out of it.
Lucky2HaveMe ( member #13333) posted at 3:08 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
Aloe grows wild in Aruba - and Aruba is DRY. So yea, dry it out.
Love isn't what you say, it's what you do.
TrulyReconciled ( member #3031) posted at 4:25 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
Aloe? Bubbye! 
"In a time of deceit, telling the Truth is a revolutionary act."
Tred ( member #34086) posted at 4:30 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
I was curious (I like to grow lots of plants but haven't had Aloe in a while) so I looked it up, and it does sound like you over watered it.
1) If grown in a pot, allow the root ball plenty of room to grow; aloes are voracious growers, and having space to do so is necessary. When you (re)pot allow a growing area three to five times the size of the root ball.
2) Use a well-draining soil. The number of soils A. vera will grow in is quite large, but a basic cactus mix available at home improvement centers is quite suitable. You may wish to experiment with other soils, but one thing it needs is to be well draining, so even a home-made concoction of 1/3 sand, 1/3 soil, and 1/3 pumice/gravel is better than straight potting soil. Aloes don't like to be cold and wet.
3) Pot up your aloe in soil up to the root ball. Use top dressing (gravel/pebbles) on top of the soil to give it a finished look, hold down the dirt, and reduce evaporation. Do not water a newly repotted aloe for a few days-this gives it a chance to get used to it's new home, as well as allowing time for any roots that have broken to seal themselves. After a few days, a light watering perhaps with some B-1 in the water is recommended.
4) Most aloes grow vegetatively from April-October so water regularly with that in mind. The rest of the year, watering twice a month is sufficient. Water when the soil is dry-rainwater is the best-so that may mean 2x a month, or once a week, or some combination thereof. Aloes are very forgiving-they can go a long time without water, but they grow best with it.
Married: 27 years (14 @JFO) D-Day: 11/09/11"Ohhhhh...shut up Tred!" - NOT the official SI motto (DS)
jrc1963 (original poster member #26531) posted at 5:08 PM on Monday, May 13th, 2013
Weird thing is I wasn't watering it at all... it's like it was watering itself...
It's outside now... in a big pot that I haven't watered since I replanted it.
Hopefully it will come back.
Me: BSO - 56 Him: FWSO - 79 DS - 23 D-Day - 12-11-09, R - he finally came homeYour life is an Occasion. Rise to it. - Mr. Magorium, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"
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