I'm new and this is my first aloe plant. I purchased it four days ago from a local gardener. I was told it could be kept in direct sun (I live in Florida) and it had been raised in the gardeners' backyard nursery. The plant was perfect when I brought it home.
I placed the aloe plant outside on a table and the next day I noticed spots that looked like blisters that had seeped and scabbed. I took the aloe out of the direct sun and put it on another table that has an umbrella to keep out of direct sunlight.
Yesterday I noticed some areas that seemed to be shriveling in the center of a few blades. Today it is continuing with a few other marks appearing. The soil also is quite damp. I'm not sure if the problem was caused by too much sun, too much water, both, or another problem.
What should I do to help my aloe?

Hi there, not familiar with the Florida weather (i am in the UK) so hopefully someone will chime in from the US.
Did you repot the plant when you got it ? Have your watered ?

if you have re potted the plant , it could be adjusting to its new environment . Sometimes aloes can react quite a bit but usually recover as long as the basics of care are correct.

Plants can react dramatically to rapid changes in light exposure or water levels. If in the nursery it was under any kind of cover, then it could be reacting to the sudden change in exposure. Not sure how much rain you get locally, but it was under cover and getting controlled watering, then suddenly saw a lot of rain it may also react detrimentally. Very high humidity can also cause issues.

Generally with aloes the soil needs to be fast draining and quick drying. Hard to tell on your pic but if the soil is dense and retains water for long periods, this will not help. The plant will ideally cycle from receiving a good deep watering and then allowing to dry out almost completely before watering again.

Aloes can usually take a good amount of sun if they are acclimatized slowly. Was they any change in orientation (east to south facing?)
the biggest risk of outright killing the plant is over watering so as long as you avoid this you can play around with the light exposure etc and the plant will usually settle.

Sorry i cannot be of any more specific use.

Steve

Since you've only had it for 4 days, sunburn is more likely than anything. It must have been in some shade at the nursery. Good news, it won't get worse if it gets slowly acclimated to brighter sun. Bad news, it won't get better either.

@CPPgardener
Cheers john, sunburn is not something i run into here No wonder i was struggling

Steve

Now compare that with Sarasota!
And then with Phoenix!
It really is a wonder and inspiration that you can grow such beautiful plants within the climatic conditions you have. BRAVO!!

CPPgardener said:Now compare that with Sarasota!
And then with Phoenix!
It really is a wonder and inspiration that you can grow such beautiful plants within the climatic conditions you have. BRAVO!!

@CPPgardener
thanks john I feel sure the plants kind of switch off a lot of the time due to lack of temp or light. Everything feels slowed right down and plants can take months to sort themselves out or to root. Watering can be tricky as well when right after is goes dull for days on end. Sometimes i feel its like trying to balance an egg on table . But to be fair, you guys have extremes of heat to content with and outside plants get more bugs and mammals attacking them, so i guess we all have our own challenges in the end. I would love more sun (not necessarily more heat) so i could get more growth and seen the plants develop more, but its not too bad here. it certainly could be worse Although you will have to put up with me randomly bitching about the weather on various threads all over this forum. Moaning about the weather should our national sport in the UK
Steve

Thank you for the replies. Much appreciated!
If I remember correctly, the area where my aloe was kept before I bought her probably received more indirect sun than direct. When I asked if I could set her in direct sun, I was told yes, but no mention of slowly acclimating to it.
So I think sunburn is probably what happened.
I have repotted into a cactus/succulent soil. The soil she was in wasn't draining well and when I took her out of the pot the bottom drain hole was covered by a large piece of flat rock. So there may have been two problems going on...sun and damp soil.
I've cut back a couple of the damaged leaves , since they have shriveled even more and dried brown. I've also moved her inside to my kitchen window which is west facing to help her recover.
She may remain an indoor aloe, at least for now.
I think I'll start fresh with another for outside and acclimate it slowly to an increase of direct sunlight.