Expert: Greg Simpson - 5/20/2006

Question
About a year ago we repotted a large aloe plant and separated the pups most of
which we gave away.  We are left with two of the largest plants and they have
been doing poorly ever since.  The leaves are fading in color and one of the
plants is covered with rust colored spots.

They are in a very light northwestern window and I water them "once a month
whether they need it or not", advice given by an Arizona horticulturist.

Is there something I can do to save them?

Answer
Dear Phyllis,

It sounds like maybe the stress of being transplanted and removal of the "pups" may have been too much. There is a product called "Superthrive" that may help. As far as the rust colored spots, that sounds like a mold or a mildew of some kind. Make sure your only watering the soil and not the leaves. If water sticks around for too long, that may be the culprit. But try the Superthive (follow the directions on the bottle) to get your plant back on track to health. Hope this helps,

Sincerely,

Greg