Growing an aloe vera plant at home can be fun. It’s an easy plant to grow that does well in most weather conditions; aloe vera is hardy and doesn’t need much water to survive.
However, aloe vera plants can sometimes start to turn brown around the base, which can then spread to other parts of the plant.
Below are some of the most common reasons your aloe vera plant may be turning brown and how you can prevent it.
Table of Contents
1. Too Much Water
Too much water in the soil can drown your plant. If there’s not enough room in the soil for the aloe plant to get the oxygen it needs, the edges of the leaves may turn brown and wither.
If you see your aloe plant’s leaves shriveling or wrinkling, check your soil.
Ideally, soil should be moist to the touch, but not wet.
Do your best to keep the soil moist without soaking it. Keep in mind that watering frequency can differ based on the climate you live in.
2. Too Little Water
In addition to too much water, a lack of water can cause dehydration and lead to brown aloe plants.
When your aloe doesn’t have enough water, it can start to dry out and it won’t be able to protect itself against the sun.
It’s fine if the top of the soil is dry, but it should be cool and damp about an inch below the surface.
If it is not, add more water and monitor the plant. Aloe plants are quite resilient and should recover quickly,
3. Sun Scorch
Sun scorch is another common reason why aloe plants turn brown. Even though they thrive in hot and dry climates, aloe plants can burn and turn brown if overexposed to the sun.
Sun scorch can get much worse if your soil is too dry. The lack of water combined with the heat from the sun could be too much for your plant.
If you notice that your plant is browning, move the pot to a shadier location.
A good place for young aloe plants is on the kitchen counter or next to your patio doors. This allows you to control how much sun exposure they get.
Once they are mature, they can spend all day under direct sunlight.
4. Too Much Salt in the Soil
Aloe plants are particularly sensitive to soil with too much salt in it. If you notice your aloe plant browning, salt could be the culprit.
Soil that is not made for aloe plants could have too much salt in it, making it harder for the aloe to grow.
Make sure you buy aloe-friendly soil.
Ask someone at your local nursery to guide you to the right soil that is low in salts and other minerals.
Transplant your aloe vera to the new soil, and you should start to see your plant recover.
5. Low Temperatures
Aloe vera is a tropical plant, so it is used to hot and humid climates.
As such, aloe plants do not tolerate cold temperatures very well, especially when the humidity is low.
If you’re growing aloe plants in a colder climate, make sure you bring your plants inside before the weather turns cold and put them in a sunny location. Once the weather warms up, you can put them back outside.
6. Natural Yellowing
Yellowing on aloe plants is normal, so it’s nothing to be concerned about. As plants mature, parts of the leaves or base can occasionally turn yellow.
This should not be a major problem but monitor your plant and be on the watch for browning.
Conclusion
Aloe vera is a fantastic plant for beginners that does well in most conditions, as it does not require a lot of care.
Inspect your aloe regularly to check for signs of browning. The earlier you notice the problem, the higher chance you will have of fixing it and allowing your aloe to thrive.