Aloe vera plants are some of the easiest houseplants to grow, but they appear to be drooping every so often. It is not uncommon for an aloe plant to need help in its growth cycle.
Not to scare you, but did you know that many aloe vera plants end up droopy or dead within two or three years of purchase?
The most common reason for an aloe vera plant drooping is overwatering. However, other factors like unsuitable temperature, lighting conditions, pests, and fungal infestations can also be the problem.
This article provides tips on preventing a droopy aloe vera plant so that your own never suffers the same fate.
Read along to find out how to understand the aloe vera language and what can be done to restore the vitality of your aloe vera plant.
Table of Contents
Is it Normal for Aloe Plant Plant to Droop?
The aloe vera plant, typically distinguished by its thick, leafy appearance and shiny leaves, may droop or go into dormancy during the winter months.
However, some people have noticed their aloe vera plant looking less healthy than before, even during the warm seasons. And, it is perfectly normal to find your aloe vera plant drooping once in a while.
The downward-facing leaves are a sign that the aloe plant is resting. The drooping can be caused by various factors to be addressed to restore your aloe’s beauty.
Why Is My Aloe Vera Plant Drooping?
An aloe vera plant drooping is a sign that your plant is either unhappy or on the verge of dying.
A few causes contribute to the droopy appearance and are considered easy to identify and deal with accordingly.
Below you will find a summarized table with the possible cause, solution, and preventive measures to replenish a drooping aloe vera.
| Causes | Solution | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Overwatering the Plant | Stop watering for few days. | Improvise the watering schedule as per plant size. |
| Underwatering the Plant | Water your plant immediately. | Improvise the watering schedule as per plant size. |
| Inappropriate Light | Relocate your aloe vera to a more suitable location. | Place your aloe vera in a warm spot with plenty of indirect light. |
| Varying Temperatures | Relocate the aloe vera to a more suitable temperature. | Place your aloe veras indoors during the winters and on a shady spot during the summers. |
| Drainage Issues | Change the potting mix and transfer to a new pot. | Make sure the potting mix is light and the pot has a few drainage holes at the bottom. |
| Diseased Plant | Remove infected parts and re-pot as necessary. | Avoid excessive watering. |
| Pest Infestations | Spry the plant with insecticides. | Use a natural insecticide on a regular basis to avoid pest infestations. |
| Re-potting Stress | Place the plant in a shady spot and let it recover. | Avoid re-potting during the autumn and winter seasons. |
1. Overwatering the Plant
Overwatering is the most common cause that can cause aloe vera plants to droop extensively. It is because aloe vera can quickly become waterlogged, which will cause it to sink.
If you want to keep your aloe vera plant happy and healthy, you should avoid overwatering it.
And if your aloe vera is not only drooping but looks watery and feels squishy, that’s your go-to signal for identification.
Solution
- Stop watering your plant for a few days or at least till the soil dries out completely.
- If the damage is severe, you may try re-potting your aloe into a new potting mix.
- Make sure you water your aloe once a week or less, depending upon the size of your plant, to avoid overwatering.
2. Underwatering the Plant
Underwatering is yet another common cause for aloe vera to droop. However, it might not be as bad as overwatering.
Sometimes we might not be able to determine the water requirements for these beauties. Or, maybe we just forgot to water them entirely!
An underwatered aloe vera will look not only droopy but also appear wrinkly.
Solution
- Water your plant thoroughly until you see water running down the drainage holes.
- It is best to water your aloe vera when you see that the top few inches of the soil have dried out.
- A weekly watering schedule works for aloe vera of most sizes.
3. Inappropriate Light
Succulents such as aloe vera always necessitate the right source and right amount of light to grow into a healthy plant. And, your plant might end up looking droopy if it is getting too much or too little light.
If your aloe vera is positioned in a hot spot, it’s probably sun damage that has affected the appearance. On the contrary, if the cute little aloe on your bathroom is drooping, it is begging for more light.
Solutions
- Place your aloe vera on a warm spot that does not receive harsh and scorching sunlight.
- Your aloe vera should do well outdoors as long as the summers are not extreme in your location. However, if the summers tend to be a little harsh, place them on a shady spot.
4. Varying Temperatures
A sudden temperature change may cause droopiness in the aloe vera plant. It is widespread for aloe vera to droop when it becomes too hot or too cold.
Anything below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and above 80 degrees Fahrenheit can cause your aloe vera plant to droop.
Solutions
- Make sure to bring your aloe vera indoors as the seasons change from warm to cold. And, place them beside a bright window away from cold daft.
- During the summers, if the temperature is too high, you can bring your aloe indoors.
5. Drainage Issues
Poor drainage is a big no for succulents, especially ones that are kept indoors.
Aloe veras hate soggy, compact soil as the roots quickly soak up all the water and get water-logged. Hence, your plant appears limp and floppy.
If your pot has zero or insufficient drainage holes, this might as well be causing your aloe vera to droop.
Solution
- Transfer your aloe vera in a new cactus mix or succulent mix with plenty of perlites. Also, make sure that you are using the correct type of container of a good size.
- It would be wise to switch to a terracotta or clay pot and stay away from plastic pots.
- Also, make sure to check for drainage holes in the pot.
Want to know what’s the best pot available on the market for your beloved aloes? Get your aloe vera plant this ceramic pot and help them thrive!
6. Diseased Plant
Did you know that fungal and bacterial diseases can cause the aloe vera plant’s leaves to droop? It might just be one of the most challenging issues to deal with.
Hence, avoiding it altogether is the best way to go. Root diseases can easily hamper the appearance and health of your aloe vera plant.
Aloe plants can become infected with certain illnesses, although they are ordinarily low-maintenance.
The condition is identified by the appearance of yellow patches that progress to more prominent brown spots, and on the lower side of the leaves, orange particles may form.
Basal Stem Rot: Basal stem rot is a fungal infection that can develop when the plant is very wet. It is identified by the aloe’s base turning brown and decomposing.
Bacterial Soft Rot: This particular bacterial infection causes the aloe vera plant’s leaves to droop while becoming watery. Overwatering is frequently the reason, as the excess moisture causes germs to grow.
Solutions
- The first step is to identify the nature of disease and infections. Most infections are caused by overwatering and wet roots; hence, it is best to keep a close track of the watering schedule.
- If your aloe is heavily sickly and droopy, remove the infected leaves and transfer them to a new potting mix. Also, make sure to prune away any affected roots.
7. Pest Infestations
Pests are a nuisance; what more can we say!
Bug problems are common in aloe vera plants. These predators frequently attack the plant’s foliage, causing them to perish or droop.
Aphids are among the most prevalent aloe vera pests that can give the owners a severe headache. They feed on the fluid from the leaves, resulting in a dead, drooping leaf.
The same goes with mealybugs and scales.
Solutions
- If your aloe becomes infested with any pests, treat it right away with horticultural oil. Neem oil is your best shot!
- However, if the infestation is too bad, you might as well want to spray some natural insecticides regularly.
- Furthermore, please make sure to keep an eye on re-infestations!
8. Re-potting Stress
Repotting could involve a severe disturbance in the roots of the plants. Hence, it is relatively normal for your aloe vera to appear droopy soon after a good re-pot.
Technically, your plant may stay in the same droopy condition for about five to ten days depending upon the size of the plant.
When the roots are disturbed during the re-pot, they need time to re-establish themselves into a new medium and start functioning.
Hence, the roots spend a few days familiarizing themselves with the new soil before starting food and water absorption.
Solutions
- If you want to accelerate the re-establish of roots after a re-pot, place the plant in a warm shady spot for a few days and provide water as necessary.
- Keep it away from direct light, and your aloe will deal with the re-pot stress and droopy leaves in its natural way.
How to Prevent a Drooping Aloe Vera Plant?
If your aloe vera plant is sagging, you will want to understand why and remedy the problem as quickly as possible.
While there are several available modifications you can do to help your aloe vera plant look healthy again, it is critical to figure out what is causing the problem in the first place.
Below are a few preventive ways you can make sure that your aloe vera never droops ever again.
- Provide an appropriate container size and type for the plant. It is best to stick with clay or terracotta pots about one-third in size compared to your aloe vera plant.
- It would help if you avoided temperature extremes at all times. Here is a golden trick – keep in mind that the ideal temperature for an aloe vera plant is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Check for and treat fungal and bacterial illnesses every day with at least six hours of direct sunlight. The sun would be the best cure for most fungal and bacterial infections if you didn’t already know!
- Get rid of plant pests by using insecticides or natural horticulture oils. You can occasionally spray your aloe with neem oil to prevent any such occurrence in the future.
- Reduce the number of times you move your plant. If your aloe loves and is thriving in any spot, do not move it to a drastic location.
- Stick to a succulent-friendly watering regimen. Aloe veras can accumulate and store water in the leaves. Hence, a little water goes a long way!
Follow the above-mentioned easy tips and tricks to get a beautiful aloe vera all year long with no signs of droopy-ness!
Tips to Take Care of Aloe Vera Plant
Aloe is an outdoor succulent plant, and they need special care to grow them indoors at home.
Whether you are a beginner to aloe vera tending or a professional, the following tips may help you take care of your aloe vera in a more proactive manner.
Before Potting
- If you are looking for a container, be sure it includes at least one drainage hole in the bottom. It is important because the opening will allow any extra moisture to escape.
- Choose a container that is around the same width as it is profound. Go for a planter that is deep enough for you to plant the entire stem underneath the soil.
- Because aloe vera plants are succulents, use a potting mix designed for cactus and succulents that drain well. You should not use regular garden soil.
- Sprinkle the base of your aloe vera with a rooting hormone solution before planting to stimulate it to produce new roots.
After Potting
- Position your aloe vera in direct sunlight or artificial light that is bright and indirect. A window facing west or south is preferable. Always remember that low-light aloes are prone to becoming leggy.
- Thoroughly water aloe vera plants during each watering schedule. Between watering, enable the top third of the soil to dry entirely.
- Hydrate your indoor aloe vera plant every two to three weeks in the spring and summer and even less frequently in the fall and winter.
- You can leave your aloes outside without issue from May through September, but if the evenings are freezing, put them back indoors.
- Fertilize when necessary, and not more than once a month. Feed your plant with a balanced houseplant formula or natural fertilizers in the spring and summer.
- You can re-pot your aloe vera once you see that the roots are running out of the drainage holes. Re-pot should be limited to the spring and summer seasons only.
Conclusion
By now, I hope you are well aware of the factors leading to a droopy and sad appearance in your aloe vera plant.
But the good news is, you are well-equipped in identifying the cause and moving forward with the appropriate solution.
Go ahead and give a fresh start to your droopy aloe vera!
Aloe vera plants are the most easy-to-grow succulent but they need repotting from time to time. Learn more here: When to Repot an Aloe Vera Plant?
