What Are the Enemies of the Aloe Vera Plant?

Watering

• Overwatering the aloe vera plant can cause root rot, which causes the pods to become soft and curl up and die. Under-watering the aloe vera can cause the leaves to dry up and wilt. Soil should be watered and left to dry to 2 inches down in the ground or pot before adding more water, which will prevent the roots from rotting or being deprived of water.

Ants

• Ants do not harm the aloe vera plant directly, but ants will crawl on outdoor plants and deposit aphids in the crevices of the leaves. Because the aphids cannot be seen, the pests can cause the leaves to rot and collapse as they feed on the leaves. Ants will push sand up against the base of the aloe vera, which is where the ants keep the mealy bug and aphid farms.

Soil

• Poorly draining soil is an enemy of aloe vera. Sandy soils will drain quickly, but when plants are planted in soil amended with heavy amounts of pumice, the soil will drain slower. Fresh manure will add high salt content to the soil and should not be used. High salt content in the soil is harmful to the development of the aloe vera roots.

Aloe Mites

• Aloe mite, otherwise known as aloe cancer mite, can cause disfiguration of the plant leaves. The mite lives inside the plant and injects a chemical into the tissue of the plant that will damage or distort new growth, according to the website Made in Africa.