Aloeis an interesting leaf succulent grown in our climate only indoors. Although it seems inconspicuous, it can surprise us with its flowers. The medicinal properties of this plant are also appreciated. See whatgrowing aloe vera at homein a pot, what species andvarieties of aloeare found in pot growing and learn the best way toreproduction of aloein amateur conditions.
Aloe - growing at home
Aloe - growing at home in a pot
Aloeis a South African perennial with fleshy leaves arranged in a rosette. Due to the thermal requirements (the temperature of growing aloe vera can never drop below 7 ° C) in our climate, onlycan be grown at homeor in a greenhouse.
Aloe in a pot requires abright but not too sunny position (you can put it on the windowsill if the window is not very sunny, it is better to move a little further away from the window next to the south window) and fertile, permeable soil (a mixture of ordinary flower soil with coarse sand is recommended). If there is too little light, the aloe leaves will turn pale and soft. This plant tolerates an average room temperature from spring to autumn, in winter the temperature of aloe vera cultivation should be lowered to about 10 ° C.
Good to knowAloe is a succulent with rich healing properties. It filters the air from pollutants and moisturizes it, and produces oxygen at night. For this reason, we recommend placing aloe vera in a pot in the bedroom.
We water aloe verasystematically, more abundantly in the period from spring to the end of summer, and we limit it for the winter. The usual mistake when growing aloe vera at home is over-watering the aloe during the winter, which causes the roots and leaves to rot. We can try to save such a plant by cutting out the rotten parts and sprinkling the wound sites with charcoal with the addition of fungicide. It is also worth replanting the aloe to fresh, less compact soil.
Note!When watering the aloe in the pot, be careful not to wet its leaves. The water remaining inside the leaf rosette is a common cause of rotting aloe vera.
Fertilization of aloeis carried out in the period from spring to the end of summer, applying fertilizer for potted plants with increased potassium content every 10 days.
Replanting aloe vera to a new potis usually done every 3 years in the spring. Fill the new pot with a mixture of flower soil and coarse sand.Before we pour the soil, create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot using small pebbles or expanded clay. If the plant has reached its target size and transplanting into a larger pot is not necessary, it is enough to replace the top layer of soil with a fresh substrate.
Under favorable conditionsgrowing aloe at homesometimes the plant blooms in autumn or winter. Unlike agave, which dies after flowering, aloe vera can bloom multiple times in a pot.
Aloe - varieties
Below we present the most commonvarieties of aloe , with slightly different decorative qualities and application possibilities.
Aloe variegated during flowering
Variegated Aloe(Aloe variegata) - sometimes also referred to as tiger aloe, it is the easiest to grow and probably the most common in our homes.It creates compact, spiral rosettes of green leaves with smooth edges, pointed, taking the shape of the letter V. The leaves are covered with irregular, transverse stripes of a lighter shade, which are the main decorative value of thisvariety of aloeGrown in the apartment reaches up to 30 cm in height. It is worth providing the plant with a winter dormancy period with a temperature of 10 ° C, because thanks to this it blooms more effectively, producing orange-red tubular flowers on tall shoots. It is one of the easiest aloe vera to bloom.
Brindle Aloe(Aloe aristata) - forms dark green, lanceolate leaves, with a white border, with rare, short and soft spines and streaks of fine spots. The leaf rosette can be up to 25 cm in height, and the inflorescence can be up to 35 cm long.
Brittle aloe in a pot
Fig. depositphotos.com
Woody Aloe(Aloe aborescens) - creates fleshy, sometimes woody stems from below, with paired gray-green leaves with spikes at the edges. In our climate, it can reach up to 1 m in height.
Aloe Vera(Aloe vera, syn. Aloe barbadensis) - also known as Barbadone aloe, creates gray-green leaves, spotted when young. Reaches up to 80 cm in height. In warmer countries, it is commonly found in commercial crops to obtain he alth aloe vera juice.
Woody aloe in the wild
Aloe - reproduction
There are 2 ways to propagate aloegrown in a pot.
The first and easiest one isto propagate aloe from suckersappearing at the base of the shoot, most often after flowering. Separate the legs and root them in a mixture of earth and sand. It is very easy and it is successful in amateur conditions. This treatment is best done when transplanting the plant in spring.
Good to know!If you do not care about aloe flowers, it is worth cutting the emerging inflorescence shoot. The aloe vera then produces more shoots from which the plant can be propagated.
The second, but much more difficult way, ispropagating aloe vera from seedsIt may be successful if our aloe has blossomed and then bore fruit. The seeds can be obtained from the fruit when it is ripe and bursting. They should be sown immediately, as they lose their ability to germinate quite quickly.
