Aloe vera is a robust plant that is not susceptible to diseases and pests. Deficiency symptoms can only occur due to care errors, which can easily be avoided by choosing the right location and substrate.
What diseases can aloe vera plants get?
Aloe vera plants can be weakened by care errors such as poor lighting conditions, waterlogging or lack of nutrients. Signs include soft, curled or discolored leaves. To strengthen the plant, you should pay attention to sufficient light, correct watering behavior and nutrient supply.
Aloe vera helps against skin diseases
Aloe vera has appeared as a medicinal plant in German pharmacopoeias since the 12th century. Thanks to the active ingredients it contains, aloe vera is still used today against all kinds of ailments:
- for skin diseases such as neurodermatitis and acne,
- for abscesses and poorly healing wounds,
- for burns and other skin injuries,
- for hair loss and dandruff,
- as a laxative.
Aloe vera itself is rarely sick
Aloe vera, which is said to have many healing powers, is extremely robust in its habitus. As a result of care errors, aloe vera plants still get sick, but they recover when care is changed. The most common causes of deficiency symptoms are poor lighting conditions, permanent waterlogging and a lack of nutrients.
Who e.g. For example, if you pour your aloe vera onto the leaves from above and keep the substrate permanently wet, this promotes the formation of fungi and you will soon notice that the leaves become soft and the roots may also begin to rot. However, if there is too little water, the leaves will curl up. If aloe vera is exposed to temperatures of less than 5° Celsius, the leaves may first become glassy from the cold, then brown and later fall off. Brown discoloration on the leaves indicates a lack of nutrients.
Avoid care mistakes, strengthen the plant
The well-maintained plants are rarely attacked by pests. If you repot your aloe regularly and always use fresh soil, fertilizing is unnecessary. If your aloe is outside in summer, you can occasionally fertilize it with universal or special fertilizer for succulents. The young plants should slowly become accustomed to the sun. If mealybugs or scale insects are infested, rinsing with cold water and additional treatment with alcohol solution (€8.00 on Amazon) helps.
Tip
When the sun is strong, the leaves of aloe vera turn brown. However, this discoloration is harmless and is not a sign of illness or poor care, but only serves as sun protection.
