Expert: Maureen - 2/12/2011

Question
Hi recently the leaves of my Aloe have been turning black and mushy just at the plant. When I pull them off liquid pours out of them. Any ideas?  I don't think I'm over watering as I have not changed my habits lately.

Answer
Dear Tia,

I'd guess rot.  Aloe contain a ton of water and need very little extra.  In the winter I rarely water mine as I live in the northeast.  They require a really well draining plant medium, lots of sun and as I said, not much water.  By not changing your watering habits in the winter the rot may have set in or it may have started with a break in the tissue allowing for fungus that you wouldn't have noticed.  It doesn't sound like there is much you can do at this point.  You could try to take it out of the pot to see if there are any pups under the soil and also to see if the roots are viable i.e. fat, white and happy.   In that case you could pot up the pups and repot the base after removing all the rot with a sterilized knife.  Leave it alone and if it is still alive it will develop on it's own - when you see a leaf you an give it some water.  Same with the pups.  No water till you see new growth.

Aloe do well in terra cotta pots as they dry out faster.

It doe seem after saying all that, that you may have to buy a new plant.

Good luck,