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Should I bring my Aloe back inside?

4 years ago

When it started to warm up outside, I planted my mature Aloe in well draining soil outside. I sheltered it from sunlight in the beginning and everything was looking good. Then what happened was, the weather started to cool down quite a bit. The leaves became very pale. They are still very firm (not squishy), but they are much paler. There is no frost damage. The outside temperature now hovers around 10c (50f) and the forecast is showing no change for the next 10 days. I am tempted to bring it in to the warmth and repot it in new cactus soil. I would really like to see the green return to the leaves but I am not sure if that it is even possible. If this is etoliation or whitening from over exposure to the sun, can the chlorophyl ever return and should I bring it in or leave it outside?

Comments (6)

  • 4 years ago

    It would be good to know which aloe you have. While most are tender, they can still handle temps around 0C; so temps around 10C should be np. Color gets bleached out in insufficient light, or plant could be reacting to too much light & get a 'sunburn' (overexposure as you said), so repoting will probably not help. Plants usually do better if outside, but need to be acclimated to conditions there...photo may help too...

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you Rina. Here is a photo. It's good to hear that 10c should be ok for Aloe so I think I will leave it out. There has been quite a bit of sun and I don't think I have acclimated it properly so your suggestion that it could be a reaction to the sun sounds right. If that is the case, will the leaves stay this way? Should I put some fabric over it? (it has been out there for approx two weeks and is now unprotected). I forgot to mention that I made the mistake giving it a foliar feed during this cold weather. It was a quarter of a teaspoon of aloe mixed with a little bit of kelp tea given on a cloudy day. I thought it might help but noticed that this caused some red spotting on the leaves and may have even made it a little worse. I noticed that this feed makes some plants almost instantly green while others don't seem to like it at all. I have no idea what Aloe it is but guessing it's the common one.


  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago


    Plus, I noticed you have rocks right behind it that draws lots of heat. I'm thinking too much sun also. I had that happen to one of mine even when I slowly introduced it to direct sun.

    Cold and wet at the spring is no harm. None of mine have issue with it because the days are getting longer and plants sense it.

    I think the leaves will start coming out used to the sunlight while those stay bleached. I would not move it if it were mines unless it can't handle the heat up against those rocks.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Aloe vera ( Aloe barbadensis, I think that another one of its names), is not a full sun aloe. Yes, it will tolerate full sun, but the colors will be greener with some degree of sun protection. I believe mine have reverted to a richer green once they were in less intense sunlight. I am still confused. Where outside the US are you, and why are we putting it into the ground? Assuming it's not winter hardy for you..

    These will eventually go out once I have time. In the kitchen window, they do get direct, western sun all winter long, but outdoor sun is much more intense, and outside mine get some degree of protection from the full sun, so these will probably be put under a containerized citrus tree, which is in full day sun, but somewhat protected too.



  • 4 years ago

    ...agree with Mike; I thought about mentioning the surrounding rocks but forgot.