When in good health, aloe vera plants will thrive, form new leaves, produce flowers, and even new plants. Therefore, this plant should be handled frequently. Aloe vera plants do require more careful pruning than other plants. Therefore, you can follow the pruning methods in this article to care for the plant. By removing damaged and redundant parts, you can improve their health and growth so that the plant can beautify your room.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Trimming the Visible Parts
Step 1. Prepare the cutting tool
You will need a tool to cut the stems and small roots, such as a kitchen knife. You can also use scissors, and if you want the plant to grow larger for a while, you may need a pair of pruning shears.
Sterilize kitchen knives before you use them on plants. To sterilize it, rub the knife with rubbing alcohol and let it dry
Step 2. Prune the damaged leaves
Cut off the damaged leaves first. Remove branches and leaves carefully if necessary to make it easier for you to find dry, dead, or brown leaves. You can also cut off diseased and discolored leaves. Use scissors or a knife to cut the stems.
- Be gentle as you cut them so you don't accidentally damage the healthy leaves.
- Pests or diseases present on the leaves can infect the plant so the leaves must be removed.
- Some of the things that cause the leaves to die include lack of lighting, lack of water, or too much water.
Step 3. Trim the excess outer leaves
Use pruning shears or a knife to trim the healthy leaves to fit the plant to the size of the pot. Make a cut at the base of the petiole and slice it neatly. The leaves on the outside are the oldest leaves and contain the most aloe vera gel.
- Aloe vera gel has many medicinal properties. If you want to use it, cut off the prickly edges of the leaves and store them in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge if you want to extract the gel.
- Do not cut the leaves that are near the main stem of the plant. The leaves are still young and are needed to replace the old leaves.
Step 4. Cut the old stems and emerging flowers
Cut the stems the same way you cut the leaves. After the flowers on the plant bloom, the seeds will fall. Even though they are dead, the old stems and flowers still take up nutrients that should be used by new, healthy leaves. Aloe vera grown as a houseplant rarely blooms so you probably won't be dealing with flowers if you grow it indoors.
Dead flowers attract insects and can fall into the pot, absorb water and make the pot dirty
Part 2 of 2: Cleaning the Planting Media
Step 1. Remove the sucker
Stem shoots are new plants that emerge from the stem. This new plant absorbs energy from the mother plant and makes the pot overcrowded. Usually you can remove the stem shoots from the soil without causing any damage to the plant. You can also use a cutting tool to cut stem shoots from the mother plant.
- Some of the stem shoots may become buried and become entangled in the soil, requiring you to remove the plant from the pot. Next, carefully remove the soil from the root ball, and fix any tangled roots.
- Stem shoots are actually new aloe vera plants so you can plant them in other pots to maintain as new plants. Let the stem shoots dry for a few days before you replant them. Use a growing medium specifically designed for succulents and cacti.
Step 2. Remove the plant from the pot
Before you remove the plant from the pot, make sure the soil is slightly damp to prevent damage to the roots. Gently hold the stem of the plant while tilting the pot to the side. The plant will pop out of the pot when you pull it out. If it still doesn't come out, try squeezing the pot or patting the solid surface of the growing media. Remove stem shoots that were previously hidden in the soil.
Step 3. Prune the roots
You may have to do this if you want to change the pot. First, shake the soil around the plant roots. Cut off the long roots and remove some of the roots that are on the sides of the plant. The number of roots left should be about 2/3 of the size of the new pot. This makes it easier for you to move the aloe vera plant. In addition, it also gives the plant the opportunity to grow a stronger root system in the new soil. Water lightly until the plant is firmly positioned in the new pot.
- After the roots are pruned, air the plant for a day. This allows the cut marks on the roots to heal and harden which can prevent damage to the plant in the long run.
- Look for rotting roots. Look for damaged areas of the plant and trim the area, but be careful not to damage the healthy roots. If possible, sprinkle powdered sulfur or charcoal over the newly cut area.
