Potted Aloe Vera: Home Growing Methods, Watering Frequency and Key Points for Leaf Planting

Aloe vera is also known as youcong, luhui, nehui, xiangdan, nuhui and laowei, and is a rising star among plants that combines food, medicinal, cosmetic and ornamental uses.So how often should potted aloe vera roughly be watered? How should it be watered? Can a single leaf be planted and survive? What are the home growing methods?According to Ms. Liu, a potted plant growing expert, a single aloe vera leaf can be propagated by cutting, but care must be taken to let the cut end air-dry and lose some moisture before inserting it. Spring is best. After inserting, do not water; water lightly two days later, and slowly let it stay in moist shade. Never water heavily.

How often should potted aloe vera roughly be watered?

The water requirement of aloe vera is closely related to seasonal changes. The watering situation in each season is as follows:

1. Spring: The temperature rises sharply, and water evaporates faster from the aloe vera leaf surface and soil, so the number of waterings should be increased. Generally, it should be watered once every 5-7 days.

2. Summer: The temperature is very high and water evaporation is very great, so at this time it should be watered once every 2-3 days.

3. Autumn: The climate conditions are similar to those in spring, and the watering frequency is similar as well.

4. Winter: The temperature is very low and water evaporation slows down, so the watering interval should be appropriately lengthened. It can be watered once every 15-20 days.

No matter the season, watering aloe vera should follow the principle of “do not water if not dry, and water thoroughly if dry”, because if watered too much, aloe vera may suffer from insufficient oxygen and difficulty breathing, while if watered too little, the growth of aloe vera will become slow.

How should potted aloe vera be watered?

1. In spring, when the temperature is 15—25°C, the number of waterings can be appropriately increased, following the principle of not watering if not dry and watering thoroughly if dry, so that the potting soil is both dry and moist.

2. In summer, the temperature is relatively high and evaporation is large. Water can be sprayed on the aloe vera leaf surface every morning and evening. This can keep the aloe vera leaf surface green and increase its ornamental value. In summer, potted aloe vera should also be protected from prolonged exposure to strong sunlight to reduce water loss from the potting soil and the plant.

3. In autumn, watering aloe vera is basically similar to spring. Sometimes it is better to water less and replenish after the potting soil lacks water, rather than keeping the potting soil in a state of excessive water saturation for a long time, which causes insufficient oxygen and difficulty breathing in the roots of potted aloe vera and leads to the death of the aloe vera plant.

4. In winter, when the room temperature is low, water as little as possible. If needed, leaf surface spraying can be used to keep the potting soil appropriately dry, which is helpful for the aloe vera plant to overwinter safely.

What are the methods for growing aloe vera at home?

1. Pay attention to temperature. Aloe vera is afraid of cold. It stops growing at around 5°C and freezes at 0°C. Therefore, aloe vera grows fastest at 15-35°C.

2. Aloe vera is afraid of waterlogging. Aloe vera needs to grow in a place with good drainage, so when planting, some gravel can be mixed into the soil to prevent the soil from compacting, increase air permeability around the aloe vera roots, and avoid obstructing root respiration.

3. Aloe vera needs photosynthesis. Like other plants, aloe vera needs sunlight to grow. Newly planted aloe vera should preferably be exposed to some sunlight, but must not be exposed to direct sunlight at noon.

4. The main thing affecting aloe vera growth is black spot disease, which is not only common but also relatively severe. The occurrence and spread of black spot disease are mainly due to rain and low temperature, and it generally appears noticeably in spring. In terms of control measures, prevention should be the main approach. A comprehensive control method combining agricultural cultivation measures such as clearing ditches and draining waterlogging and lowering soil humidity with chemicals should be adopted to achieve the purpose of reducing damage.

5. Watering in summer requires attention. Aloe vera likes light and tolerates heat, but when summer temperatures are high and rainfall is low, drought should also be prevented. Appropriate watering can let aloe vera grow quickly. Watering must not be excessive. Generally, watering once every 5-10 days is enough.

6. Fertilizing aloe vera. Fertilizer is indispensable for any plant. Aloe vera not only needs nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but also some trace elements. To ensure that aloe vera is a green and natural plant, fermented organic fertilizer should be used as much as possible. Cake fertilizer, chicken manure and compost are all acceptable, and maggot manure and earthworm manure fertilizer are more suitable for growing aloe vera.

7. Seedling propagation. The propagation of aloe vera seedlings is mainly asexual propagation. The propagation methods include division propagation and cutting propagation, and the propagation season is preferably spring and autumn. Division propagation refers to carefully lifting the young seedlings when the aloe vera tiller seedlings have more than 5 leaves, trying not to damage the root system, and transplanting them elsewhere or into flower pots. Cutting propagation refers to cutting about 15 cm of aloe vera side branches, placing them in a ventilated and shaded place for two or three days, and after the cut end shrinks and dries, inserting them elsewhere or into flower pots, then shading them for one month. During this period, try not to water. When the cutting begins to grow, move it to the desired place, and then begin watering. Old aloe vera plants that have grown for many years are prone to lodging after reaching a certain height, which affects their ornamental value. Therefore, cutting them off 7 cm from the leaf base and using the cutting method can make the old aloe vera plant regain its vitality.