Aloe problems with lower leaves

Hello, I wondered if anyone could advise me as to what I've done wrong with my aloe please?

I've had it a couple of years and it's very special to me. However, it was starting to lean and I feared it might snap so i reseated it in it's pot and changed the mix (cactus compost, grit and perlite).

Since then, the lower leaves seem deflated and droopy but feel spongey rather than firm. There are new leaves growing from the top. My moisture meter in the soil reads 1-2 and I'm not sure now whether it needs watering or has it started to rot?

My mother bought me this plant on our last trip out together before she became ill and died so I feel ridiculously sentimental about it and would really appreciate some advice.

 

Difficult to say, they do get top heavy after a while in a pot.
I'd be very careful about watering, too much is definitely worse than not enough.
Let it pretty much dry out the compost before giving a good watering.
They do lose lower leaves, just as long as it's making new growth it should be ok.

 

Should I remove the lower leaves? If I do, it will become even more unstable.

 

No only remove totally dead leaves, that is the plants storage.
For some reason it's using it, can't be sure but that usually happens for one of two reasons.
Either root rot or very dry.

I can't really say which it is, but it's something you should be able to ascertain by looking at compost.

The instability suggests roots rotted off at some point due to over watering, but just guessing.

 

Thank you. I'm not sure how long I should leave it with dry compost before watering it?

We did move house in March too but the spot it's usually in is s/w facing, as it was before and it was happy then.

I appreciate your advice as I love this plant. Typically the person I'd always ask about plant care is no longer with us but as I said earlier, she bought me this before she died so it don't want to lose it.

 

Apologies, double post

 

Well all I can say is err on the side of dry rather than wet.

 

hey, how old is she??