The main reason an Aloe Vera plant will turn brown is due to overwatering. The wilting brown color is a symptom of having too much water.
This article will look at why your Aloe Vera plant will turn brown and how to treat it.
Why Is My Aloe Vera Plant Turning Brown?
There are various reasons why you’ll notice an Aloe Vera plant turning brown, including:
- Overwatering: Using excess water on your Aloe Vera plant is one of the common reasons the plant will turn brown.
- Exposure to too much sunlight: The phenolic compounds of the Aloe plant produce the brown color because the plant synthesizes the compounds as protection from UV radiation. Although this is normal, it is clear that you need to move the plant indoors.
- Excessive salt in the soil: Though not a common cause of the Aloe plant turning brown, the excess presence of salt causes aggressive competition with other vital elements in the soil.
- Cold: Most Aloe plant varieties prefer warmer temperatures. Therefore, you need to keep the plant in a warm environment.
That said, some yellowing is a natural Aloe plant phenomenon. Older leaves may get yellow, particularly at the bottom of the plant.
How Do I Fix My Brown Aloe Vera Plant?
1. Reduce Watering and Repot
To save the plant from overwatering, you need to move it to a new pot but not damage its roots. Cut them off with clean, sharp shears if you notice any root rot or mushy roots.
Additionally, you'll need to replace the wet soil with fresh soil before replanting the Aloe Vera. Rotting roots and brown spots indicate that the plant grows in inappropriate soil. Therefore, you can try a mix of potting soil and perlite or succulent soil and commercial cactus.
Also, try using a terra cotta or clay pot instead of plastic or metal pots because they retain water.
2. Water the Aloe Plant When You Notice Dryness
If you notice unusual dryness in the potting soil, then you’ve been underwatering the plant. Ensure you give it complete and thorough watering until the water exits through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot to keep the Aloe plant thriving.
Remember, don’t water the plant again until you notice that the water you’ve added has dried up.
3. Move Your Aloe Plant to a Cooler Environment
An Aloe Vera plant gets damaged due to extreme heat or sudden temperature changes. Therefore, to avoid heat damage or shock, move the plant to a cooler and shady location or where there’s indirect sunlight to give it time to adjust.
Then, please place it in brighter and warmer locations, starting with a few hours at a time.
4. Keep Your Aloe Plant Warm
If your Aloe plant has a cold shock, the leaves will turn yellow and droopy. Ultimately, the brown color will go all the way down to the plant base. The leaves nearest to the source of the cold fall off first.
That is why you’ll need to keep the Aloe plant between 55-80°F. If there is a sudden change in temperatures, the Aloe plant will likely go into shock.
5. Keep the Aloe Plant Away From Direct Sunlight
Houseplants are very susceptible to sunburns. If you notice your Aloe plant turning brown, you need to take it away from direct sunlight. If you’ve kept it outside, you need to move it to a place that has indirect light or take it indoors.
6. Fertilize Your Aloe Plant Sparingly
Aloe Vera plants do not need too much fertilizer. To save your Aloe Vera plant, you'll need to remove some of the fertilizer (if you’ve used any.)
If necessary, you only need to fertilize your Aloe plant once a year with half-strength fertilizer.
7. Get Rid of Pests
You'll need to cut off the severely infected leaves. After you've done this, treat the plant accordingly (depending on the pest infestation.)
Mealybugs cause stunted and uneven growth because they pierce the Aloe plant and suck out the sap.
Over time, if you don't treat the infestation, it can be deadly to the plant.
8. Treat the Plant If It Has Diseases
The brown leaf spots on your Aloe Vera plant could be indicative of diseases such as:
- Leaf blight and leaf spot disease
- Cladosporium disease
- Aloe Cera leaf spot disease
- Anthracnose disease
Should I Remove Brown Leaves From an Aloe Vera Plant?
It would be best to trim any leaf tip or the whole leaf that has turned brown. The brown parts indicate that they are dead. Removing the leaves means that the plant stays green and healthy. Use sharp shears or a knife to cut off those parts.
The part of the leaf that is left exposed will seal up on its own in due time.
Can Brown Leaves Turn Green Again?
Once you've put the plant in the right conditions, it will gradually recover its usual green hue. Water the plant once every twenty days to avoid overwatering, leading to brown discoloration.
How Do You Bring Aloe Vera Back To Life?
Cutting some affected leaves means more leaves will grow, and the plant will recover. If the Aloe plant has been in the shade for too long and the leaves seem too weak to revive, your only option is to cut some of the healthiest leaves and propagate them.