I bought an aloe vera two months ago from Leroy Merlin and it was doing fine until recently. Since I started watering it more regularly because I read that they need more water in September, the leaves have been turning yellow and almost transparent. I'm worried it's rotting from the roots - do I need to save it?
Aloe vera actually prefers to stay dry, and frequent watering is exactly what kills it! If the leaves are yellow and translucent after you've increased watering, it's pretty much certain that the roots are rotting. The good news is that it often survives, but you need to act fast!
Take the plant out of the pot and check the roots: if they're black or rotted, cut them off with clean scissors. Then clean all the soil away from the roots and put the plant in a new pot with well-draining soil (cactus and succulent mix works great, or you can add some sand or perlite to regular soil). Don't water for at least two weeks! Put it somewhere bright but not in direct sun while it recovers. When you start watering again, wait until the soil is completely dry between waterings - aloe isn't a plant that likes constant moisture.
In fall and winter, aloe actually needs even less water than in summer, not more! Once a month is already plenty, and maybe even less if the soil stays moist. Yours should bounce back in a couple of weeks if the roots aren't completely destroyed!
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