Aloe vera is a very popular and easy plant to grow, as long as you understand the plant's need for water and sunlight by mimicking the hot weather that aloe is used to grow. Unlike other succulent plants (plants with thick fleshy stems or leaves to store water), aloe vera cannot be grown from cuttings of its leaves. Instead, you can propagate them from young plants that appear at the base of mature plants or from their connecting root system. These young plants should be handled with care, as described in detail in the breeding section.
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Part 1 of 3: Planting or Transplanting an Aloe Vera Plant
Step 1. Know when to move the plant
Aloe vera has relatively short roots with heavy leaves, so this plant is usually moved to a larger pot when the tops of the plants are too heavy and they are stacked on top of each other. When aloe has no room to grow roots, it will begin to produce stem shoots (or "pups") that can be transplanted into separate pots (see section Breeding). If you prefer to grow mature plants instead of growing new ones, move your plant to a larger pot before the roots begin to fill the walls of the pot.
Look in the Breeding section if you want to transplant a young plant growing at the base of the main plant
Step 2. Place the plant in a warm area that gets enough sunlight
Aloe vera likes areas that get 8 to 10 hours of sunlight a day. Although aloe vera will grow well in hot or warm temperatures, it can survive cold weather in dormant conditions. However, aloe vera can suffer if it lives in areas with temperatures below -4ºC.
- Areas with warm, hot climates are ideal places to grow aloe outdoors all year round. If you live in an area with cold temperatures, you can put aloe vera outside, but you have to bring it indoors at certain times.
- For those of us who live in Indonesia, the ideal place to place aloe vera indoors is in a window facing east or west because it can get enough sunlight.
- Although aloe vera can grow well in hot conditions, this plant can still burn. Move the plant to a shaded area if the leaves start to turn brown.
Step 3. Plant aloe vera in soil that can absorb water well
Aloe vera is used to living in dry conditions, and can rot if planted in waterlogged soil. Use growing media for cactus plants, or make your own growing media by mixing sand, soil, and gravel in equal proportions.
If you plant it in a pot, make sure the pot has a hole in the bottom to allow water to escape from the pot
Step 4. Plant aloe vera covering the root ball, but don't let the leaves touch the soil
Place the aloe vera root ball just below the soil surface. If any part of the leaf that is green and thick is buried or touched by the ground, the leaf can rot.
Step 5. Cover the soil surface with gravel (optional)
Sprinkle a thin layer of gravel around the base of the aloe vera plant to keep the soil from moving and to reduce evaporation. This is not necessary if your plants are already thriving. So you can leave the soil exposed if you like how it looks.
If you live in a cold area, use white stones because they can reflect the warmth of the sun's rays to the bottom of the plant
Step 6. Avoid watering the plant in the first few days after planting
Before you water it, give it a few days for the aloe vera to repair its root system that may have been damaged when you planted it. Damaged roots can rot if you water it. Aloe vera stores a lot of water in the leaves so it's okay to leave the plant without water for a few days. If you want to be on the safer side, water the plant with a small amount of water only once or twice.
For more detailed watering instructions, look in the Daily Care section
Part 2 of 3: Performing Daily Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Step 1. Water the plant when the soil is dry during the growing season
When the weather is hot and the sun is shining, aloe vera will grow quickly if watered regularly. However, people are more likely to over-water it than to let the soil dry out. So, do not water the plant if the soil has not dried to a depth of 8 cm.
Step 2. Water the plant sparingly when the weather is cold
Aloe vera is often in a dormant state when the weather is cold for a long time. Unless you place it in a heated room year-round, you should only water it once or twice a month during this period.
Step 3. Fertilize aloe vera once a year or do not need to be fertilized at all
Aloe vera does not require fertilizer, and using it in excess can damage the plant or cause the plant to not grow healthily. If you want to accelerate growth, choose a fertilizer with low nitrogen, high phosphorus, and low potassium content, for example in a ratio of 10:40:10 or 15:30:15. Give fertilizer once a year, at the beginning of the growth period.
Step 4. Remove weeds carefully
The soil around the aloe vera must be free of weeds and grass. Clean weeds regularly if you grow aloe outdoors, but do so with care. Since the best growing media for aloe vera is porous and sandy, the roots of the plant will be easily damaged if you pull the weeds vigorously.
Step 5. Increase sun exposure if the leaves grow flat and low
If the leaves grow flat and low, increase sun exposure. The aloe vera leaf should grow upward or outward at an angle, pointing toward the sun. If the leaves grow low towards the ground or flatten outwards, the plant may not be getting enough sunlight. Move the plant to an area that gets more sunlight. If you grew them indoors, try moving them outdoors during the day.
Step 6. Reduce sun exposure if the leaves turn brown
If the leaves turn brown, reduce sun exposure. Although aloe vera is more resistant to sun exposure than most other plants, its leaves can still burn. If the aloe vera leaves turn brown, move the plant to a shaded area in the early afternoon.
Step 7. Flush with more water if the leaves become thin/wrinkled
When the leaves become thin and wrinkled, add your water. Its thick, fleshy leaves are used to store water when the plant experiences drought. Water the plant more often if the leaves look thin or wrinkled. Be careful not to overdo it with water. The water must be able to flow quickly so that the plant roots do not rot. Root rot is usually difficult to stop.
Step 8. Stop watering if the leaves turn yellow or fall off
Yellowing or "melting" leaves occur because the plant is receiving too much water. Stop watering completely for the next week (or two when the plant is dormant), and reduce watering when you start watering again. You can cut discolored leaves without causing harm to the plant, but it's best to use a sterilized knife.
Part 3 of 3: Breeding New Plants
Step 1. Let the adult aloe vera grow until it fills the pot
While a healthy aloe vera has the possibility to produce young plants, or stem shoots, this is usually the case when the mature plant has reached the size of the pot.
Step 2. Wait for the young plants to appear
Aloe vera will begin to produce stem shoots, which are the result of cloning (cloning) of the plant itself. These stem shoots share the same root system as the parent plant and may also attach to the base. Stem shoots sometimes also emerge from the drainage holes of the pot, or even from roots that spread to other pots next to it.
Stem shoots tend to be lighter green than mature plant leaves. When they first appear, stem shoots do not have spines at the edges of the leaves as in mature plants
Step 3. Allow the young plants to grow until they are large enough
Young plants will do well if you allow them to grow large enough and mature until they have roots of their own. Although they vary in size (depending on the species), a good rule of thumb is when the young plant is at least 8 cm tall, and preferably 13 cm. If the pot still has enough room, wait until the young plant is 1/5 the size of the adult plant and has a series of "whole leaves" that look like the leaves of an adult plant.
Step 4. Cut the young plants using a sharp, clean knife
Sterilize the knife first to reduce the chance of infection. Remove the soil that is at the base of the stem shoot to check whether the roots of the young plant are connected to the mother plant or not. If connected, cut off any connecting roots, and make sure the roots (if any) remain attached to the plant. Young plants that already have roots will increase the chances of success, but the roots may be difficult to see before you lift the stem shoots out of the soil.
Step 5. Air the freshly cut plants for a few days
Do not immediately plant the stem shoots. Let the plant form a callus on the cut. If you plant them right away, the cut surface of the knife can become infected when it comes into contact with the soil.
Step 6. Plant the stem shoots in separate pots and provide support
Place the young plant in the top of the soil that can drain water well, without piling the leaves. Since the root system is small (or even nonexistent), you may need to support the plant with a layer of gravel and lean it against something else. In a few weeks, the root system will grow large enough to support the plant itself.
Read the more detailed information in the Planting section, which applies to both young and mature plants
Step 7. Spray water on the plant every few days if the roots have not yet appeared
Do not water the plant if the roots have not yet sprouted. Wait at least a few weeks for the roots to come out before you water. Instead, spray the plant every three days using a plant spray.
Step 8. Flush with a little water after the roots appear
Aloe vera can survive long periods without water, and if you water it before the roots are long enough, the water can soak the plant and make it rot. When the stem shoots have developed their own root system, allow the roots to grow by watering them once and placing the plant in the shade for 2 to 3 weeks.
Step 9. Treat new plants like mature plants
Once the plant is placed in the pot and the roots are growing, you can treat it like an adult plant. Follow the instructions in the Daily Care section.
Tips
- Any plant that is usually placed in the shade may take some time to adjust when it is moved to a place that gets full sun. Move the plant to an area that is partially exposed to sunlight for a few weeks before placing it in full sun.
- If you're lucky, your aloe plant may produce flowers and fruit, and you can collect and plant the seeds. Because insects or birds can cross-pollinate your aloe vera with other types of aloe, and because growing from seed has a lower success rate than growing from buds (pup), this method is rarely used by people. If you want to grow aloe vera from seed, use black seeds and spread them out on the ground. Cover with sand and water frequently until the seeds sprout. Do this seedling in an area that is not exposed to direct sunlight, and transfer to a large pot within 3 to 6 months after the seeds germinate.
