Why Is My Aloe Plant Turning Yellow? (9 Causes With Fixes)

What an interesting aloe plant it is. Long leaves with or without thorns, and many tubercles create a unique effect. There are even varieties with red tubercles available today! Nevertheless, problems often occur with this plant.

Lack of water, excessive watering, intense sunlight, and improper fertilization are the main causes of aloe turning yellow. To fix the yellowing, water aloe when the soil in the pot is almost completely dry and fertilize the plant no more than twice a year. Also, move the aloe to a place with partial shade and make sure it’s not too cold.

Overwatering

It is very common for aloe to turn yellow if it is overwatered. Roots in constant moisture begin to rot. As a result, the leaves turn yellow from the base and upwards along the blade. The leaves also become soft and may even become a little transparent.

Solution

1. Take the aloe out of the pot and clean all the soil from the roots.
2. Inspect for rotten roots and if so, remove them.
3. Wash the roots with fungicide and dry them for a few hours.
4. Plant the aloe in loose and well-drained soil.

The best option is a purchased succulent soil mixture. You can also make your own soil, but it must contain perlite, small stones, and other ingredients that make it less heavy.

The pot should have a lot of drainage holes through which excess water will escape.

To avoid overwatering, you should allow the potting soil to dry out halfway before watering. The easiest way to check the moisture is to use your fingers.

Underwatering

Lack of water can also lead to the yellowing of the aloe. In prolonged drought, the yellowing begins at the tips and extends to the entire leaf. The leaves become soft and curl slightly.

In fact, aloe is succulent and can do without water for a long time, but this does not mean that it will thrive.

Solution

1. Water the aloe when the soil dries out to about half the depth of the pot.
2. Use a soil moisture meter to check when to water.
3. Reduce the frequency of watering over the winter.

If you grow aloe in a lot of direct sunlight and a hot climate, you will have to water it quite often. Whereas in northern states, watering should be less frequent.

Also, mature aloes can store more water than young ones. Therefore, they should be watered less frequently than young plants.

Incorrect sun exposure

Improper lighting can cause aloe leaves to turn yellow. This plant needs 12 hours of direct sunlight, but if there is too much sun, problems can occur.

In most cases, aloe grows in a south-facing window or on a balcony. It is also common for owners to take this plant outdoors in the summer. In all these cases, the aloe gets the maximum amount of light and everything seems to be fine. But if the weather is too sunny and hot, the leaves can get burnt. This is especially true if you take it out of the house to grow it outside.

Solution

1. Accustom your plant to the new amount of sun gradually.
2. Place the aloe so that it has a little shade if the heat is too intense. After that, return it to its old location.

In winter, the aloe needs much less light. So you can even put it on the east or west window. Find out experimentally exactly how much light your plant needs at different times of the year.

If you don’t have a place with enough light, the aloe can also turn yellow because photosynthesis isn’t working properly. In this case, you need to install artificial lighting for your aloe.

Abrupt temperature change

Changes in growing conditions can cause aloe leaves to turn yellow. I’m referring primarily to temperature fluctuations.

In general, the optimal temperature for aloe is 75-78 °F (24-26 °C). This plant can also grow quite well in a temperature range of 64°F to 73°F, but it will grow less vigorously.

When the temperature drops to 50-53 °F, the aloe will stagnate and its leaves will become a bit pale. But if the temperature change is drastic, the leaves may turn yellow.

Abrupt changes in temperature often occur if the aloe is grown outdoors. It can be hot during the day, and the temperature can drop dramatically at night.

Solution

1. Take the aloe outdoors if you are sure it will be warm at night.
2. The temperature in the room where the aloe is grown should be at least 64.4°F.
3. Avoid placing the aloe near heaters or air conditioners.

Fertilizer issues

Too much fertilizer is often the cause of yellowing and then dying aloe leaves. At first, the plant will grow faster than usual and become sluggish and soft. Next, the roots can be damaged by direct contact with the fertilizer and, as a result, some of the leaves will begin to die off.

Solution

1. Transplant the aloe to fresh soil.
2. Pull the plant out of the pot and shake off all the old soil.
3. Get a good succulent potting soil and plant the aloe in it.
4. The first year after transplanting, you don’t need to fertilize the aloe.
5. Fertilize no more than once or twice a year.
6. Use a specialized fertilizer for succulents. Usually, such fertilizers contain everything necessary for aloe to thrive.
7. Do not fertilize aloe in autumn and winter because the plant is dormant at this time.

Aging leaves

The leaves of all plants have a certain life cycle. First, they emerge and recycle solar energy, but at the end of the year, they turn yellow and fall off.

Evergreens are a little different. They have leaves that live more than one year, but every year the older leaves that are three or more years old turn yellow and fall off.

The same is true of the aloe. Its leaves can last for several years, but eventually, they die off. This usually happens to the lower leaves.

Solution

1. Carefully tear off or cut off the yellow leaf, but do not damage the stem.
2. You don’t need to do anything else because leaf aging is completely natural and doesn’t need any intervention.

Diseases

The next thing that often causes aloe to turn yellow is a disease. First of all, it is a root rot that occurs when the plant is overwatered. How to deal with this I have already written above.

The next disease is dry rot. When it affects aloe leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out, and curl. The rate of development of this disease is very high. Unfortunately, there is no way to save aloe, all you can do is take a few healthy leaves and root them.

There are also a number of other pathogens that affect aloe leaves. As a result, spots will appear on the leaves and they will start to turn yellow.

Solution

1. To avoid diseases, ventilate the room well and keep a proper watering schedule.
2. Spray aloe with a fungicide 1-2 times and the disease will go away.
3. Avoid any actions that may stress the aloe.

Inappropriate pot size

The size of the pot is often the cause of the yellowing of the leaves. If the pot is too big, the roots will be surrounded by too much soil. After watering, they will stay wet for too long which can lead to root rot and yellow leaves.

But if the pot is too small, root bound can happen. As a result, the plant will not get the minerals it needs and will turn yellow.

Solution

1. Transplant the aloe into a pot that is only slightly larger than the root system.
2. Make sure the pot has drainage holes.
3. Every year, transplant the aloe into a slightly larger pot.

Pests

At the end of the article, let’s talk about pests that can also cause aloe to turn yellow.

The first type of pests are insects, including aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and others. They suck on aloe leaves and feed on the sap. As a result, the plant turns yellow and the leaves die off.

The second type of pest is spider mites. They also feed on aloe sap, but they are very small and hard to spot. A good indicator of the presence of mites is the thin cobwebs on the leaves.

Solution

1. To get rid of insects spray the plant with horticultural oil. One or two sprays are enough in most cases.
2. Some insects are resistant to horticultural oil, so you need to use insecticidal soap or pesticides against them.
3. To get rid of mites pray the plant with acaricide.

Related questions

What to do when the aloe vera plant turns yellow?

1. Stop watering aloe vera frequently.
2. Provide good drainage.
3. Provide enough direct sunlight.
4. Protect aloe vera from cold drafts and sudden drops in temperature.
5. Get rid of pests and diseases on aloe vera.

Should I cut off yellow aloe leaves?

You should cut the yellow leaves off as they are not good for the plant. Be very careful not to damage the stem.

Use a sharp, sterile instrument. If wounds appear after cutting, treat them with fungicide.

How do I get my aloe plant to turn green again?

To get your aloe back to green you need to eliminate the cause of the yellowing. In most cases, this is overwatering and root rot.

This can be corrected by replanting the aloe in more draining soil. You also need to cut off the rotten roots and treat the wounds with hydrogen peroxide.

What does an overwatered aloe plant look like?

An overwatered aloe will look yellow or yellowish-pale. If you try to pull it out of the pot you can easily do this. Overwatered aloe usually has no roots because they rot quickly in a wet environment.