How do I tell if this Aloe is dying?

[Pablo]

So I took a aloe vera plant from my front yard, the weird thing is, it didn't have any roots ( or i ripped them off), I couldn't see any in the ground ! When I puled it out of the ground there was this weird long thing sticking out of the bottom, it looked like a large tree branch and inside of it were (what I think were) roots, but it is weird because I've never seen a plant grow like that. So I cut half of the tree branch looking thing and put it in a pot. I hope it doesn't die, but if it does start dying, how long should it take to be noticable and what signs should i look out for?

Also when I took it outside, I found a couple of spider living in the stem.They werent spidermites, they were black and I dont want my house infested with spiders so any way to get rid of them? thanks

 

[Tjohn]

Aloe grow from runner roots. You just pulled up one of the strings. It should root if you left enough of it to live off of, and planted the part with the leaves on it. I don't know about the spiders....

 

[Beth_B]

Agree with @Tjohn. Aloe is easy to grow from cuttings. It's doubtful you killed your aloe...they are pretty tough plants.

Spiders are obligate carnivores and don't typically harm plants. Vacuum them, squish them, spray with soapy water, capture them alive and take outside...its all good.

 

[Corzhens]

Aloe grow from runner roots. You just pulled up one of the strings. It should root if you left enough of it to live off of, and planted the part with the leaves on it. I don't know about the spiders....

So aloe vera is like mint with runners? We have aloe vera in the front yard for almost 15 years now. We trim it by removing new plants so it is clear to me that the root is just like a thread that is sticking on the ground and still connected to the mother plant. But if you detach the new plant from the mother plant, it will grow. Aloe vera is easy to grow, just give it enough water and a little sunlight and it will thrive. If your transplanted aloe vera will die, it will not last 2 weeks otherwise it is alive.

 

[HappyKoi]

Aloe is a pretty tough plant. That being said, it can be over-watered. I killed my first one that way. If it begins to turn yellow, you've probably over-watered it. Like other people have said, just keep checking it and make sure it has just enough water and lots of sunlight. Yours sounds like it will be okay. Give us an update in a week or so.

 

[remnant]

You should treat aloe like the way you would treat cactus plants. A good sign that they could be drying is wilting of the leaves, they look lifeless especially during the hot season as well as development of woody patches. Just put them in a container with well composted soil. Before planting them here, take the plants and dip them in a rooting hormone to quicken the development of roots. As for the spiders, you can look for an organic insecticide. Spiders can be eliminated by most broad spectrum insecticides.