As houseplants go, aloe vera plants have it all. First of all, they look great with their fascinating, spiky leaves with serrated edges. Then there's the fact that they store water in those succulent leaves, meaning that they require very little maintenance.
But that's only scratching the surface - aloe vera is known for its many medicinal properties. You can use its sap to cure sunburn, skin irritations or insect bites, and aloe vera juice has been used to treat digestive problems - it's no wonder they call it the 'first aid plant'.
Add to that all the other benefits that we know that we get from keeping indoor plants (improved mood, reduced stress, better attention span) and you can see why an aloe vera plant is such an attractive option. So in this blog we will go through everything you need to know about how to care for an aloe vera plant - let's get started.
Planting aloe vera
Before planting
Before you plant aloe vera, you need to find the right kind of pot to put it in. The best is a terracotta pot, or any porous pot, which you can then place inside a moreaesthetically pleasing pot. As long as there is a drainage hole, and the pot is roughly the same size as the root ball, you'll be fine.
When it comes to potting soil, any multi-purpose compost should do the trick.
Planting or repotting aloe vera
Once you have planted your aloe vera plant in soil, you might want to add a bit of sand, just to provide a bit of aeration. Lightly press down on the soil, and then water your aloe vera plant for the first time. Leave the soil to dry, and then move it to a warm spot, which gets a fair amount of direct sun. Give them as much light as you can.
Alternatively, you can buy apre-potted aloe vera plant.
Growing aloe vera
Propagating aloe vera
It's quite easy to propagate aloe vera using the offsets that appear at the base of the mature aloe vera plants, when they're a few years old. Here's how:
- When these offsets appear, wait until they have grown to around a fifth of the size of the full plant
- Remove the plant in full, and ease the offset away from the main body of the mother plant - making sure to bring any roots it has produced
- Follow the planting advice from above - before long you'll have another aloe vera plant on your hands!
Pruning Aloe Vera
To encourage healthy growth, it's essential that you prune your aloe vera plant from time to time. The plant will tell you when it's time for pruning, as the spikes on the leaves will start to go a little bit brown on the tips. You can remove these with your fingers.
If you want a more thorough prune, use a sharp knife or pruning shears - the key is to not rip the leaf as that will make it more difficult to heal. Only prune the older leaves on the outside, and cut as close to the base as possible.
When you've done that, don't forget to make the most of your leaves and that incredible aloe vera gel. Just submerge the leaf in cold water for 10 minutes or so, and then peel off the skin.
Caring for aloe vera plants
Now we will list everything you need to know about aloe vera plant care.
Soil
It is possible to purchase cactus compost, which aloe vera plants thrive in, but in truth, they work with any well draining potting mix. They like a few stones and some sand to help with aeration, but other than that, they don't need any special soil.
Food and fertiliser
As aloe vera plants are not big eaters, they do not need much fertiliser - in fact too much can harm it. The best thing to do is to give it some in the spring, just as the new growth begins. You can feed it every month or so during the spring and summer, just to give it a little boost. We have an extensive range ofplant food here.
Lighting
Aloe vera plants need bright sunlight (indirect or direct sunlight, but not full sun as they can get sunburnt), in order to thrive. The best place is on a windowsill, but if you are worried that you are not getting enough natural light, you can supplement it with artificial light.
Watering
As a succulent, aloe plants don't require much water. In fact, if you water your aloe plant too much you can cause it damage and they'll rot. You certainly won't need to water it more than once a week. They'll take plenty of water each time.
Temperature
Aloe plants are used to warm weather, which is why they are best suited to growing indoors in the UK. They don't like temperatures of less than around 13 degrees Celsius, and can cope up to about 30 degrees.
Space
Aloe plants do not require much space, in fact you can get away with a pot that is only 5%-10% wider than the plant's roots. As long as it drains well, and air can get through, you'll be fine.
Aloe Vera Plant Care Problems
While it's easy to grow aloe vera plants, there are a few common problems that you may face. Most of these are easily solved:
Overwatering
If you notice an aloe leaf that has begun to turn brown or yellow, this could be a sign that it has been overwatered. Lift it out of the pot, and check the roots - if they are starting to turn black, that will confirm it. Let the soil dry fully, and cut away any leaves that have gone rotten (they'll be a bit squishy to touch). Once you only have healthy leaves, replant in new well draining soil.
Lack of light
If your aloe leaves are starting to droop, crease or begin to go a paler shade of green, this could be an indication that it is not getting enough light. Move the plant to a sunnier spot in your house, and that should solve the issue.
Overwintering
Overwintering is when we protect our plants from the colder conditions over winter. If you keep your aloe vera plant inside all year, this shouldn't be an issue, but just make sure the room is sufficiently heated above 13 degrees Celsius. We have coveredhow to look after house plants over winter in more detail in another blog.
Pesticides & disease
Keep an eye out for scale insects - little tiny brown blobs that are only around 5mm long. They can cause harm to the plant, but they are also easily removed - wipe them off with a cotton pad soaked with an insecticide.
You canread more about caring for indoor plants here.
Have a look throughour range of aloe vera plants - we have aloe barbadensis miller, aloe vera leaves and great aloe mix selections which include many different varieties.
