My Aloe Plant Was Placed Outside By A Roommate, And…
Jonathan Asked
My aloe plant was placed outside by a roommate, and then knocked over. It was like that for a few days before I asked where it was. Since then the bottom leaves have fallen off. The top has seven good-looking leaves left, and there are shoots coming up from the bottom; however, no new leaves from the main stem are being produced. Is there anything I can do?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Jonathan: There are hundreds of species of aloe but the most common is the aloe vera plant. This succulent is pretty tough and quite forgiving. A few days on its side will not be detrimental to your plant as long as it does not have frost damage. Even though it has lost some of its foliage the rest of the plant sounds healthy. Hopefully at this point your aloe is indoors and in a sunny window. These plants are not considered fast growers so the fact that it has new growth coming up is a good sign. This is especially true during the winter months when the light levels are lower. Do not expect to see too much growth at this time of the year. You will want to cut back on your watering during the winter. Depending on the temperature and humidity of your home the aloe will only require minimal watering every couple of weeks. The worst thing we can do to our succulents is to over-water them. The soil should be allowed to completely dry out before adding additional moisture. You will also want to avoid fertilizing until the spring when you can take your plant back outside where it will be happiest. So, at this point there is not much more you can do unless you need to replace soil that was lost when it tipped over. If you do need to add additional soil make sure to use a mixture made specifically for cacti and succulents.
