Aloe vera is one of those plants that looks amazing, and it can provide other benefits. If you grow healthy aloe, you can apply it to your skin when you get a sunburn. But if you aren’t careful, aloe can develop some problems with their leaves.
When an aloe vera plant has thin leaves, it could be a sign of not getting enough water. The plant also might be cramped in a tall and narrow pot. If the leaves are also slightly brown, they probably aren’t getting the right amount of light. Keep these things in mind when caring for aloe.
If you want to grow a healthy aloe plant, you need to give it the care it deserves. Then, you can enjoy its appearance and healing properties. Keep reading to learn more about thin aloe vera leaves and how to treat and prevent them.
Causes of Thin Aloe Vera Leaves
Thin aloe vera leaves can develop from a few different problems. Checking the extent of the thin leaves can help you determine the specific problem. You should examine the different parts of the leaves, the roots, and the growing medium.
In some cases, you’ll find the only problem is with the leaves. However, there may be a bigger problem with your entire aloe vera plant. Improper watering and the wrong lighting conditions can cause issues for aloe vera leaves, like turning different colors.
Watering Schedule
Watering your aloe vera on the right schedule is essential to keeping your plant healthy. On the one hand, aloe doesn’t need as much water as many plants. It’s a succulent plant, so it holds onto the water in its leaves and stems.
If you water your aloe plant too much, it will cause the roots to rot, which can cut off water to the leaves. Then, the leaves will wilt and start to thin out. If your aloe leaves are thin and feel mushy, odds are you’re watering the plant too often.
However, your issue may be the entire opposite. If your thin aloe leaves don’t feel mushy, you might not be watering them enough. While aloe can hold water, it can only hold so much, and eventually, it will use up the water.
If you don’t give it more water, the leaves will start to curl. But make sure that the water gets into the soil so that the plant can suck it up that way.
Lighting Conditions
If you find that you’re watering your aloe vera the right amount, consider the lighting that it gets. You might notice your aloe vera leaves look thin if they tend to droop. The main cause of this problem is that your aloe doesn’t get enough light.
Aloe should get some direct sunlight, but it also needs some shade. Place the plant where it can good sunlight or it’ll start growing sideways towards the source of light. If you want to keep your aloe outside, place it where it will rotate between sun and shade throughout the day. You can also move your aloe plant in and out over time to give it enough light.
But if your leaves start to get thin and brown, they may be getting too much lighting. In that case, take your plant inside for a day or so to let it rest.
How to Treat Aloe Vera Thin Leaves
Once you determine the cause of your aloe vera’s thin leaves, you can treat it. The treatment you use may work better based on what caused the thin leaves. And in most cases, treatment involves following a proper aloe vera care routine.
Here are a few things you can do to treat thin aloe vera leaves. Then, you can bring your plant back to life.
Inspect the Soil
If you think your aloe vera leaves are related to water, check the soil. You can stick your finger in the pot to check the moisture level. Even though you can’t check the specific percentage, you can get a sense of how wet or dry it is.
If the soil is particularly dry, you should give your plant some extra water. Make sure you water the soil rather than the plant leaves. As the plant soaks up water, it will make the leaves look full again, but watering the leaves can lead to mold and other problems.
When the plant is getting too much water, you can check to see if the water has anywhere to drain. If it’s not draining properly, you can consider moving the plant to a new pot that will allow water to drain out. You can use a straw to blow out excess water immediately, and you can also stop watering your aloe vera as often.
Aloe vera needs water about once a week during the summer and even less often during the winter. If your plant doesn’t do well with that schedule, make small adjustments to find what works based on your home and environment.
Adjust the Position
When it comes to treating aloe vera leaves that thin out due to lighting, you have an easy solution. The best way to correct the issue is to find a new place for your aloe plant. If you keep it inside away from light, try moving the plant closer to a window or even outside.
You shouldn’t take the plant from no light to direct light quickly, because that can cause sunscald, which is like a sunburn. However, giving the aloe a little bit of sunlight each day can help revive it.
And if you keep your aloe in direct sunlight, try moving it indoors or somewhere with a bit of shade. Then, you can give it the right combination of water and light.
How to Prevent Aloe Vera Thin Leaves
If you get a new aloe vera plant, you want to prevent thin leaves. While treatment can help, prevention is a better option when possible. Then, you won’t have to worry about the leaves getting too thin.
Once you treat your current issue, you can use these tricks to prevent future episodes with your current aloe or a future plant. Here are a couple of things you can do to keep your aloe vera leaves happy and healthy.
Choose the Right Soil and Pot
To prevent aloe problems, such as thin leaves, you need to give your plant the right type of soil. You should look for cacti soil mixes because they will offer the right conditions for succulents. If you can’t find any, you can mix sand, soil, and perlite for a similar formula.
Be sure to avoid soils with high levels of organic matter because those can hold more water than the aloe plant can handle. You also want to make sure the soil you use can help water drain more easily.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on July 26, 2020.
As your plant grows, you may need to move it to a bigger pot. Check your plant and pot regularly to check its growth, and when the roots go past the drainage holes, you’ll need a bigger pot.
You can then repot the entire plant as one, or you can separate the offshoots if you want multiple aloe veras.
Water Regularly
You shouldn’t water your aloe vera often, but you should follow a schedule. When you water, make sure the water gets deep into the soil, and ensure the soil dries out before adding more water.
During the winter, keep watering at least three weeks apart, and only use fertilizer once a month at the most. As the temperature rises, you can water your aloe once every week or two.
Use your finger to check if the soil is dry, and don’t be afraid to go an extra day before watering. While you don’t want the plant to get too dry, it’s better to water it a little less than a little more.
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on July 26, 2020.
Final Thoughts
Aloe vera thin leaves can be a scary sight for any plant owner. Luckily, it’s easy to figure out the cause and how to treat it. Then, you can use a similar process to prevent thin leaves in the future. Keep these things in mind whenever you care for your aloe to give it the best environment you can.