People have been cultivating the Aloe vera plant (Aloe barbadensis) for literal thousands of years. One of the most heavily used medicinal plants on Earth, it is known to be capable of doing many things, such as soothe skin irritations or burns. If you want to learn how to grow your own Aloe Vera Plant, it won’t take much work; in fact, caring for them at home has never been easier! Read on below and find out all about what it takes care of an Aloe Vera Plant and how they can benefit you.
How to Grow an Aloe Plant
If you wish to grow aloe vera, you need to know how? Understand that it is one of the most versatile succulents you can have. It needs its roots free from all sorts of heavy muck and can stand up against dehydration much better than its cousins, which are most commonly cacti. To take care of your little green buddy you’ll need: a cactus potting soil mixed with some perlite or sand (anything will do), enough room for air/water through drainage holes, and bright light – preferably in the south facing window.
Care of Aloe Houseplants
While it’s true that all plants require proper watering, Aloe Vera plants are even more sensitive than most. You should wait until there is absolutely no moisture left in the soil before you water it again; always make sure to give plenty of drainage time when watering- and take care never to over or under-water your Aloe Vera plant while caring for it! It’s also worth noting that these succulents typically don’t need to be fertilized at all – so you shouldn’t feel any guilt if you skip this step entirely!
If you want to keep your Aloe Vera plants healthy, be sure to fertilize them every year. Use a phosphate-rich, water-soluble fertilizer and apply it at one quarter strength twice a month during the growing season. As you may know, aloe vera plants make excellent indoor decorations due to their ability to heal skin irritations and sunburns. So now that you are aware of how to properly care for these lovable little guys, they will never leave your side again.
Planting
Before Planting
There are many different types of containers you can use for your plants. You need to make sure that you have chosen the correct type, so that they don’t die. Some pots (such as terra-cotta) are porous and allow air and water to come through easily, while others (like plastic or glazed) may cause them to stay too wet for too long.
It is hardy and only requires minimal care, but the majority of aloe vera plants succumb to mold and leaf drop if there is no proper drainage. Make sure the container is wide and deep enough to accommodate the plant. If your aloe plant has a stem, make sure to pick one with plenty of room inside so you can plant the whole thing below the soil line.
Aloe vera plants grow best when they are potted with this specially formulated blend of natural materials. Aloe vera grows well in a potting soil containing perlite, lava rock, chunks of bark or a combination of these materials.
It is not necessary to fill the bottom of the pot with gravel, clay balls, or any other drainage material. Filling the pot with these materials only encroaches on roots’ space. And it’s unnecessary for a good soil drainage system to work properly – there are ways to adjust so that water drains out without adding extra materials.
(Optional) To convince your Aloe that it has reached its final destination, dust the stem of the plant with rooting hormone powder. The type you need is sold locally at garden centers or hardware stores, or you can buy it online if you want.
HARVESTING
Aloe Vera Gel
Have you been looking for a topical remedy for small burns? You might just need some aloe vera! You can extract the gel from ripened aloe vera leaves by cutting them in half lengthwise. Let the moist liquid seep out and apply it to your burned skin or place the open leaf directly on top of the wound for relief.
Do not ingest the gel, as it can cause nausea and other unpleasant symptoms.
WIT AND WISDOM
- Aloe vera is not only beautiful, but it regenerates itself and does double duty as a natural remedy for minor injuries. Read more about this amazing plant that has such great healing properties.
- Aloe has many benefits when applied to the skin, one of which is soothe sunburns. Aloe can also be used to heal cold sores
PESTS/DISEASES
Loe vera plants areMealybugs and scale are two of the most common pests that affect Loe vera plants.
Common diseases include:
- Root rot
- Soft rot
- Fungal stem rot
- Leaf rot
