How To Grow And Care For Your Own Aloe Plant
The aloe vera plant is, no doubt, one of the most decorative plants you can own. And it’s not just pretty – it’s also very practical and good for your health; the gel inside can, for example, act as a natural sunburn cooler.
Growing aloe vera in pots is pretty easy. You need to follow some rules, but if you give it a try, you’ll find that growing your own aloe vera plant is surprisingly relaxing. To help you start out, we have prepared a quick guide on how to propagate aloe. In this article, you will find everything you need to grow a healthy plant successfully.
Growing Aloe Vera in Pots Indoors
Most people are growing this plant indoors. Aloe vera is a very tolerant plant, so it is also a perfect plant to grow in a home garden. Before we move on to how to propagate aloe, let us give you a few basic tips on growing and caring for an aloe vera plant from scratch.
Let’s start with the basics first. When it comes to growing aloe vera in pots, you need to choose a terracotta pot. In the case of soil for aloe vera, use well-drained dirt. It may be a good idea to mix sand and potting soil 50/50, but you should know you can always simply buy a special succulent mix that works well for aloe vera soil, too. The pot doesn’t have to be huge, but you should replant your aloe vera if it starts tipping to one side. While the plant doesn’t require a lot of space, it does have certain requirements you should meet.
You will also have to place your plant in a bright, sunny place, or otherwise, it can stop growing. How often to water aloe, you might ask? Water the plant heavily but you only have to do this once every two weeks or so. You should not water the plant more often than that; remember, this is a desert species and doesn’t need much water to survive. If anything, too much moisture can cause the roots to rot.
Growing Aloe Vera Outdoors
If you live in a warm climate, you can also try to grow your plant outdoors. Unfortunately, you can’t do this just anywhere in the world – in many countries, the yearly weather will be just too cold for aloe vera to survive. Low temperatures will kill the leaves, and frozen soil will destroy the roots, meaning no new sprouts will grow anymore.
If you believe your country is located in the right climate, you can start by searching for a well-drained bed in regard to the soil for aloe vera. If you’re wondering how often to water aloe when it’s outside, take notice of the weather; unless there is a drought, you won’t need to water your plant at all – nature will provide it with sufficient water. If, however, it has not rained for weeks or months, you should give your plant a good soaking and then wait for the soil to dry up again before you water the plant yet again.
Growing aloe vera outdoors can be even easier than growing it indoors. Everything depends, however, on the climate.
Caring for an Aloe Vera Plant
Before moving on to how to propagate aloe, let’s discuss some care basics first. As stated before, how often you water aloe depends on whether it’s inside or outside and the weather. Essentially, make sure to water your plant once every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer – fall and winter. You can do this even more sparingly. You can quickly tell when to water again by checking the soil’s moisture; at least the upper third of the potting soil should be dry before watering your aloe vera plant again. Also, you may notice that some of the water is running out to the bottom of the pot after watering the plant. If this happens, allow the soil to absorb the water for 10-20 minutes – after that, dump any remaining water.
You will also have to learn how to cut the aloe vera plants. Pay attention to the aloe vera flower. The aloe vera flower is typically delicate and white. The plant will produce these flowers every once in a while. To keep the plant healthy, you’ll have to cut aloe vera plants by getting rid of the faded aloe vera flower stems from their base.
Aloe Plant Propagation
Aloe is also very popular because of how easy it is to propagate. Aloe vera propagates by its offsets, not by seeding, meaning that controlling and managing this process is far easier than in the case of many other plants.
In order for you to be able to propagate your plant, it will first need to produce its offset, also known as pups or offshoots. Basically, offsets are clones of the “mother” plant that grow from the parent plant’s stem or roots. Until their own root system is established, they rely on the parent for water and nutrients.
Keep in mind that aloe vera does not produce offsets unless the plant is at least a couple of years old. So, if your plant did not produce any “pups,” but it’s still young, there’s no reason to worry. The older and healthier the plant, the higher quality pups it is going to produce.
In short, to propagate the offshoots, you simply have to divide the plant.
In order to propagate an aloe plant, you will need:
- a healthy aloe plant with pups
- sharp clippers or a knife to cut with
- a pot or container with drainage holes
- a well-draining type of gardening soil; succulent blend would be best
- (optional) a trowel
- optional) some rooting hormones
What Needs to Be Done?
First things first – carefully search for any pups the plant might have produced. Remember – you will find them both at the stem and the base of the mother plant. Each valuable offshoot should have a few leaves and its own root system.
Once you’ve located the pups, take the plant out of the pot and brush away as much soil as you can – you can use a trowel to do the job. Remember not to disturb any other plants, and be careful not to damage the root system.
Next, untangle the offshoots. You can use a knife, but try not to cause any damage to the mother plant.
Now, how to cut the aloe vera plant? After you gather the offshoots, make sure their root system is healthy and complete. Cut any rotten or damaged part away, but try to keep as much root as possible intact. If some pups have damaged roots, you can try to dip the ends in rooting hormones.
Repot the offset. Use dry, well-draining soil. Keep in mind that the roots need to breathe, so don’t pack down the soil tightly.
Put the mother plant back in her pot, or repot it to another, larger one. If you opted for the latter option, do know that the plant should be at the same depth as in the old pot.
Keep the now repotted aloe vera offshoots dry for a few days. Their roots need to position themselves properly in the pot and regenerate after they “moved houses.” Wait about a week before watering the plant.
Growing your own aloe vera plant can help you utilize its health benefits as well. However, if you don’t feel up to it on your own and you prefer to just enjoy the look of aloe vera in your home, you can still get its benefits by using natural aloe vera products we’re proud to present at A.M.P. Floracel.
They contain the Aloe Mucilaginous Polysaccharide (AMP) molecule, which allows for the maximum absorption of the plant’s health benefits. AMP is organic, non-toxic, and all-natural. It’s anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-bacterial, offering support to boost your immune system. The AMP absorbs in your intestines and flows through your bloodstream to distribute the nutrients throughout your body, including the muscles, bones, organs, etc. While your body is absorbing the nutrients, it’s also helping the healthy gut flora to thrive again, protecting and healing the inflamed areas. If you’re interested in learning more about what aloe vera natural supplements can do for your health, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at A.M.P. Floracel.