Aloe vera is an easy-to-grow succulent, and it’s ideal for beginner gardeners and experienced plant enthusiasts alike. They make attractive tropical houseplants, and aloe vera leaves are also useful for relieving minor burns and scrapes. Read on to discover all the essential tips and tricks for aloe vera plant care.
There are more than 300 different cultivars of aloe vera to choose from. The most common variety is Aloe barbadensis miller, which is also the only edible cultivar.
Light, nutrients, and water are the most crucial factors for taking care of an aloe plant. In general, an aloe plant prefers bright light and minimal water. Like most other succulents, aloe grows best in sandy, well-draining soil.
Although most people grow aloe veras as indoor plants, they also flourish outdoors in USDA planting zones 8-11. While aloe plants can handle direct sunlight at lower elevations, they are at risk of sunburn when placed in full sun at elevations higher than 1,000 feet. By following these simple aloe care tips, your plants will flourish for many years to come.
What to Know About Taking Care of an Aloe Plant
Caring for an aloe plant is straightforward as long as you understand its basic environmental requirements. One of the most significant aspects of aloe vera plant care is how often to water.
In most cases, watering your aloe vera plant once every two to three weeks is plenty. Ensure that the potting soil has completely dried out before rewatering. To check if your aloe plant needs more water, insert your fingertip an inch or so into the pot. If the soil sticks to your skin, wait a few more days before watering.
Overwatering is one of the most prevalent sources of aloe vera plant care problems. These include yellow or brown spots on the leaves, mushy stems, and root rot.
Since they’re tropical succulents, aloe vera plants cannot tolerate temperatures below 40℉. Their optimal temperature range is between 55-80℉. If desired, move your potted aloe plants to a protected outdoor space during the warm summer months, then bring them back inside once your weather turns cold.
How to Care for an Aloe Vera Plant Indoors
There are a few fundamental considerations for how to care for an aloe vera plant indoors. First, choose a location for it that gets bright, indirect sunlight.
If you’d like to keep an aloe vera plant in a windowless space, you might wonder, “Do aloe vera plants need sunlight?” Aloe plants require an average of six to eight hours of bright, indirect light each day.
If you don’t have a sunny windowsill available, consider using a grow light so your aloe plant doesn’t become elongated or “leggy” from not getting enough light. In addition, it’s beneficial to rotate the pot a quarter-turn every couple of weeks. Doing so encourages the plant to lean in different directions and develop a strong stem.
Select a large enough pot to accommodate your aloe plant’s root system. Make sure it has several drainage holes at the bottom. Terra cotta pots are ideal for succulents because the porous material quickly absorbs any excess water.
Aloe vera plants are not exceptionally heavy feeders and tend to grow best with sparse fertilizer and watering. Feed your aloe plants with an organic, all-purpose fertilizer once each spring.
Instead of watering your houseplants on a routine schedule, it’s best to check their soil on a regular basis and only water when necessary. Plants normally use more water in the summer than in the winter.
Choosing the Best Potting Soil for Aloe Plants
Aloe naturally grows on steep slopes with sandy, rocky soil. Consequently, you’ll get the best results by planting aloe in loose, well-draining potting soil.
Purchase a potting mix specifically formulated for growing succulents at your local garden center. Or, you can easily make DIY aloe vera plant soil using readily available and inexpensive ingredients.
DIY Succulent Potting Mix
- 2 cups of organic compost or peat moss
- 2 cups of coarse sand
- 1 cup of perlite or pumice
Mix your succulent soil blend in a large bucket or lidded container. Adjust the measurements to only make as much as you’ll be using at one time. If you end up with some leftover soil mix, store it in a resealable plastic bag in a cool, dry place.
Repotting an Aloe Vera Plant
It’s beneficial to transplant your aloe vera into a larger pot every few years. Otherwise, the plant becomes root bound and stunted. If you notice the plant’s roots emerging from the drainage holes at the bottom of your container, it’s time for a bigger pot.
Your new pot shouldn’t be more than two or three inches wider and deeper than the old one. Having too much extra potting soil that the roots don’t touch causes it to stay saturated for too long, increasing the risk of root rot and other plant diseases.
Gently loosen the soil around the edges and remove your aloe plant from its pot. Take care to avoid disturbing the root system as much as possible. Then, pour an inch or two of succulent soil into the new pot and place the root ball inside.
Next, fill in around the plant’s root ball with more potting mix, keeping the soil level the same to avoid burying the base of your aloe plant. Finally, water the plant thoroughly and put it back in its sunny spot.
How to Care for Aloe Vera Outdoors
In warm climates that do not get below-freezing temperatures in the winter, aloe vera can grow in an outdoor landscape. Where to plant aloe vera depends on your altitude.
Near sea level, aloe plants thrive in full sun, where they get six or more hours of direct sunlight throughout the day. At elevations of above 1,000 feet, plant aloe vera in an area with partial shade.
Aloe doesn’t require exceptionally high nutrient levels to grow well, and outdoor-grown aloe plants only require fertilizer once each spring season. However, it tends to struggle when planted in heavy clay soil or soggy ground.
After transplanting, water your aloe vera thoroughly. After that, give it enough water to saturate the top few inches of soil when it has completely dried out.
Propagating Aloe Plants
Aloe pups are small plant clones that develop at a mature aloe vera plant’s base. The pups are firmly attached to the mother plant’s main stem, so take precautions not to cause damage during propagation.
To begin, gently remove the mother aloe plant from the pot. Carefully brush soil away from the plant’s base to reveal the pups.
Using a sharp, sterile pair of pruners, carefully trim away the aloe pups without damaging the stalk. Allow the cuts to dry and heal for approximately 24 hours before repotting the aloe pups and the mother plant.
Once you’re ready to repot the plants, find containers with drainage holes at the bottom. Fill the pots with a succulent-friendly soil mixture and gently insert the small plants to the same depth they were originally growing.
Wait three days before watering your new aloe plant clones. After that, only rewater them when the potting soil has completely dried out.
Newly transplanted aloe pups frequently turn brown for a while after they get repotted. This process is known as transplant shock. Rest assured that your new baby plant is just pouting and it will bounce back within a few weeks as the new roots develop.
Common Aloe Vera Plant Care Problems
Fortunately, aloe vera is not prone to very many pest and disease issues. Prevent problems from arising by consistently providing the appropriate levels of light, nutrients, and water.
Mealybugs are the most prevalent insect pests for indoor aloe plants. Signs of an infestation include stunted growth and wilted, yellow leaves that have a fuzzy white coating. Spray all parts of the affected plant with an organic pesticide like neem oil, horticultural oil, or insecticidal soap.
The majority of aloe plant diseases result from overwatering. Root rot produces spongy, dark-colored lower leaves and root tips. Lift the distressed aloe plant out of its pot and carefully brush away as much of the old potting soil as possible. Sterilize the container, then repot your aloe with new succulent soil. Allow it to dry out for two or three days before you rewater.
Most of the time, taking care of an aloe plant is amazingly simple. As long as you provide sandy, well-draining soil and a warm, sunny spot for it to grow, aloes are remarkably low-maintenance houseplants. They’re also an attractive addition to outdoor gardens in warm climates. The gel that’s extracted from aloe vera leaves is effective at relieving minor burns, inflammation, and skin irritation.
Do you have any questions or suggestions about aloe vera plant care? Please post them in the comments! If you found these aloe care tips helpful, please share them with your fellow plant lovers.