The Mystery of Rotting Aloe Vera: What’s Really Happening Beneath the Soil?

Aloe vera is known for being a hardy and resilient plant, capable of thriving in tough conditions with minimal care. However, even the toughest plants can experience problems. If you’ve ever encountered a rotting Aloe vera plant, you may have wondered what went wrong. I certainly did.

At first, seeing a rotting Aloe vera used to bother me. I would question my care methods, wondering if I had watered too much, used the wrong soil, or neglected my plants in some way. But as my garden grew and I started tending to thousands of Aloe vera plants, I realized something: losing a few here and there is normal. A little rot is just part of the process, especially when managing a large collection.

However, something recently caught my attention. It wasn’t just the occasional plant rotting—it was mostly my larger Aloe vera plants in bigger pots. The number of affected plants seemed unusually high, and that’s when I knew something else was going on.

The Hidden Signs of Root Rot

Unlike some plants, Aloe vera doesn’t immediately show signs when its roots start to rot. It takes time before symptoms appear, such as thinner, curling leaves or browning at the edges. By the time the plant visibly suffers, the damage is already significant.

I had one plant that still had healthy-looking leaves, but to my surprise, it collapsed. When I examined it closely, I found that its base stem had completely dried up, leaving behind nothing but fibrous remains. It looked as though something had sucked the juices right out of it.

And it wasn’t just one plant—this same thing was happening to multiple Aloe vera plants in my garden.

A Clue from the Soil

I was clueless about the cause of this mysterious rotting until one day, the man who helps me in the garden mentioned something interesting.

Every time he removed a pot with a rotting plant, he found little white grubs in the soil.

At first, I dismissed it. I thought, “They’re just beetle larvae—how much harm could they do?”

But then curiosity got the better of me. I decided to do a quick Google search, and what I found shocked me.

The Truth About White Grubs

These grubs aren’t just harmless insects; they actively feed on plant roots! That explained everything. My bigger plants were suffering because their roots were being devoured from below.

Determined to investigate further, I checked some of the smaller pots. Since they were easier to handle, I carefully removed the plants and sifted through the soil.

And guess what? I found even more of these white grubs hiding beneath the surface.

Suddenly, everything made sense. Over the past few months, I had noticed an increase in beetles flying around the garden. It turns out that these beetles lay their eggs in the soil, and their larvae—the white grubs—begin feasting on the roots of my Aloe vera plants.

Should I Use Pesticides?

For many gardeners, the immediate solution would be to use pesticides to get rid of these grubs. But I had a different perspective.

I consume my Aloe vera, and I want to keep everything as natural as possible. Instead of using chemicals, I decided to wait it out. Eventually, the beetles will leave, and the grubs will disappear.

Besides, the beauty of Aloe vera is its resilience. Even if some plants rot, they can always be replanted. The plant I cut a month ago still looks perfectly fine. I should have placed it in the soil earlier so it could start growing roots, but I got busy with other tasks. Despite the delay, I do not doubt that it will bounce back.

Lessons Learned and A Question for Fellow Growers

This experience has taught me a valuable lesson about patience and observation in gardening. Pests like white grubs can go unnoticed for a long time, silently damaging plants from below. While it’s tempting to look for a quick fix, nature often finds a way to restore balance on its own.

Now, I’m curious—have you ever encountered root-eating pests in your garden? If so, how did you handle them? Do you prefer organic solutions, or do you use pesticides to control infestations?

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other and keep our plants thriving!

Happy gardening!