aloe vera and its dried out root

(Question)

hello,

I have 2 aloe vera plant both have been overwatered for many many years due to my ignorance. One has tiny fresh roots that is shoot out of the dried out roots, but the other has not. for the one that has not, I had snipped off most of the dried root. Near the roots, the leaves are soft and mushy, but on the very top the leaves are still solid. – it may have been a pup many many years ago and now is an adult. (So, im hoping they both still have a fighting chance to live – I recently repotted them both in cactus soil as the the previous soil was not fast draining). Thank you.

So my question is, What do I need to do to see that the 2nd one is rooting again.

(Answer)

Thank you for getting touch with Toronto Master Gardeners. It’s great that you repotted your plants in a cactus soil.  This is the one of the ways to avoid root rot in aloe plants and to correct the problem once it has occurred.  It also helps to plant them in a clay pot with a drainage hole and to apply liquid fungicide to the new medium to fight any sections of rot you may have missed. Before watering check the moisture level at 1 to 2 inches below the top of the soil. When it is dry it’s time to water the plant. You can water it deeply because succulents are designed to take in a lot of water at one time.

It sounds like the crown of the plant is damaged (i.e. the leaves near the roots). In this situation it is best to take cuttings to start new plants. You can cut the green ends from healthy tissues at least 1/2 inch from the last section of rot. Allow them to scab overnight before replanting. You can dust the plant cutting with a rooting hormone powder. Rooting hormone can be found at a local garden center or hardware store, or online. Plant the cuttings at least 1 inch below the surface of the soil to hold them in place while they root.

For more information please review the following sites:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/controlling-aloe-vera-rot-29287.html
https://www.almanac.com/plant/aloe-vera