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Why are the stalks on my Aloe turning brown and mushy?

The stalks of your Aloe plant are likely turning brown and mushy from too much water. Let’s dig in and investigate further.

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Too much moisture

The most common cause of yellowing and browning stalks among aloe plants is watering too frequently. Only water your aloe when 100% of the soil volume is dry. Your Aloe plant is native to very dry climates and is extremely drought-tolerant.

When you water your aloe, make sure you provide enough water so that liquid flows from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and into the saucer. It’s extremely important to discard any excess water in the saucer and not to let your plant sit in any standing water. Your aloe doesn’t like “wet feet,” which will cause the roots to rot and lead to the eventual death of the plant.

Improper light

Aloe will grow best when placed in bright indirect to bright direct sunlight. If placed in very low light, the leaves will droop downward.

Some yellowing is natural

Is there new growth on your aloe plant? If there is new growth appearing and the yellowing leaves are older, particularly at the bottom of the plant, this yellowing is natural. Your plant sheds its old leaves and sends energy to new growth.

Need more help?

We're confident your Aloe will be back to normal in no-time, but if you've followed the steps above and things just aren't improving you can contact us here.