"Natural beautician" aloe vera: how to grow it fast? Detailed growing methods and precautions

Everyone knows that aloe vera has many benefits: it is not only ornamental, but can also be used for beauty and eaten, and aloe vera is even a “natural beautician.” Growing aloe vera indoors can absorb harmful gases and purify the indoor air, so how do you grow aloe vera well? Below, the editor will give you a detailed introduction to aloe vera growing methods and precautions.

I. How to grow aloe vera

Aloe vera is the easiest plant to grow. When it dries out, just water it a little; this is a plant for lazy people. Aloe vera has very strong vitality and is extremely easy to grow. Its growth characteristics are that it likes sunlight but fears scorching sun; it likes moisture but dislikes waterlogging; it tolerates high temperatures but fears severe cold.

1. Reduce watering, watering 1 to 2 times a week.

2. Do not let the leaves touch the soil.

3. Protect from freezing.

4. Let aloe vera get plenty of sun, but do not expose it to scorching sun.

II. Aloe vera growing methods

(I) Specific cultivation of aloe vera

Soil and fertilizer: The ideal aloe vera growing soil is mainly marsh soil and sand, with leaf mold, grass ash, and shell pieces added. Clay is not good for drainage and should be avoided as much as possible.

If the soil contains fertilizer, then normally no fertilizer is needed at all.

Watering aloe vera: When growing aloe vera, the most important thing is that there must not be too much water, otherwise the medicinal components will become weaker, and in severe cases the roots will rot.

In spring, generally water once every 5 days; in hot summer, water once a day after the sun goes down; in autumn, the watering method is the same as in spring; in winter, aloe vera almost enters dormancy, and at this time it is enough to just moisten the surface soil.

How aloe vera overwinters: The safe overwintering temperature for aloe vera is above 5 degrees. Below zero degrees, the moisture in the leaves will quickly freeze. When this happens, it is the end of its life.

(II) Aloe vera care methods

1. Environmental requirements for growing aloe vera

Soil selection:

Aloe vera likes to grow in loose soil with good drainage that does not easily become compacted. Ordinary soil can be mixed with some gravel and ash residue, and it is even better if leaf mold and grass ash can be added.

It should be noted that only soil with good drainage and aeration can be used, otherwise root respiration will be blocked, causing root rot and death. However, overly sandy soil often causes the loss of water and nutrients, making aloe vera grow poorly.

Temperature requirements:

Aloe vera fears cold, and it has long grown in environments without frost all year round. It stops growing at around 5℃, and at 0℃ its life processes will be impaired; if below 0 degrees, it will suffer cold damage. Its most suitable growth temperature is 15 to 5 degrees, and the humidity is 45 percent to 5 percent.

2. Fertilizer and water management for growing aloe vera

Fertilizer is indispensable for any plant. Aloe vera not only needs nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but also some trace elements.

In order to ensure that aloe vera is a green, natural plant, use fermented organic fertilizer as much as possible. Cake fertilizer, chicken manure, and compost are all acceptable, and vermicompost is even more suitable for growing aloe vera.

Like all plants, aloe vera also needs water, but it most fears waterlogging. In rainy and humid seasons or when drainage is poor, the leaves easily shrink, and the stems and roots easily rot, or even die. In summer it has a short dormant period, so watering should be controlled and it is better to keep it dry.

In particular, young plants that have just been potted are not tolerant of high temperatures or rain, so they should be slightly shaded. After autumn, move them indoors for care, preferably in a sunny and well-ventilated place, and watering must also be strictly controlled.

3. Potted care for growing aloe vera

Preparation of potting soil: Because the root system of potted aloe vera is limited by the container, it can only maintain life activities in the limited potting soil. Generally, the potting soil for aloe vera is required to be loose, airy, and fertile. It must have good drainage, fertilizer retention, and aeration, so that after watering the surface crust is not sticky when wet and does not crack when dry, and it can maintain appropriate water, fertilizer, and rich nutrients.

The raw materials for preparing potting soil should be widely available, and materials with low cost, no pests or diseases, and no pollution can be selected. Each place can use local materials according to specific conditions. For potted aloe vera, besides flower pots, other containers can also be selected according to local conditions, such as boxes, baskets, and buckets. It is best to use clay pots, and not advisable to use porcelain pots or plastic pots, because they have poor aeration and easily cause root rot.

Planting method: The best planting time is early May, and spring or autumn is basically also acceptable. Care should be taken to avoid the humid plum rain season or midsummer when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees. If the purpose of planting is to enjoy the flowers and growth, choose aloe vera with thick and sturdy stems. If aloe vera is obtained by division, choose thick seedlings that root in spring.

Temperature and light: Aloe vera is native to tropical and desert regions, so its leaves have a good water-storage function and will not wither and die during drought. It tolerates drought but fears waterlogging, likes light but fears damp shade, and tolerates high temperatures but fears cold.

It will not wither and die after being placed in the sun for two months, and it can still survive sun exposure under high temperatures, only stopping growth, while at minus one degree it will suffer cold damage. However, Chinese aloe seedlings do not like light, and especially fear strong light. It is best to place them outdoors in a ventilated place with good light, but in hot summer they should be properly shaded, and in winter they should be placed in a sunny place above 5 degrees to overwinter safely.

4. Aloe vera propagation methods

Aloe vera propagation commonly uses division and cuttings. The division method is generally done in March to April when repotting, removing the densely growing young plants around the mother plant and potting them. If the young plants have few roots, they can first be inserted into a sand bed, and after rooting, potted. Cuttings are done after flowering in May to June, cutting 10 to 15 cm of the short top stem, letting the cut dry, and then inserting it into a sand bed. Generally, about 2 weeks after insertion, 4 roots can form.

(1) Aloe vera division propagation

There are two specific methods for aloe vera division propagation. One is to directly peel off from the mother plant the young plants that have grown from suckers at the base of the aloe stem or roots and have young roots, and then transplant them to a nursery or production field.

The other method is to use a division knife to separate the young seedlings sprouted by the mother plant from the mother plant, but do not pull them out. Still let the young seedlings remain in place and grow for a period of time, generally about half a month, to form an independent root system and reach a fully self-supporting state. Then transplant the young seedlings with soil and plant them in the field, and immediately water once after planting.

(2) Aloe vera cutting propagation

Aloe vera cutting propagation uses the characteristic that the lower ends of the main stem and side branches of aloe without roots can produce adventitious roots, separating and propagating new aloe plants. This is especially suitable for aloe species and varieties that divide vigorously and whose stem nodes easily elongate.

After removing the terminal bud, the side buds develop rapidly, and the many branches that grow can be used as cutting propagation material. Aloe cuttings mainly use stem cuttings and root cuttings, while leaf cuttings are very difficult to succeed with. Aloe cuttings can be done in the open field, or in protected greenhouse areas or greenhouses.

III. Precautions for growing aloe vera

(I) Choosing flower pots

The process of moving aloe vera out of the ground or a seedling container and putting it into a flower pot is called potting up. Before potting up, a suitable flower pot must be selected according to the size of the aloe seedling. If the aloe seedling is large but the pot is small, it will restrict the growth of the aloe; if the aloe seedling is small but the pot is large, it will look top-light and bottom-heavy, lacking beauty. In addition, because the seedling is small and the pot is large, after each watering the soil does not dry out, which easily causes root rot.

(II) Choosing seedlings

Before potting, there is also a very important task, which is to carefully select all aloe seedlings. Healthy aloe seedlings should be chosen; their morphological characteristics should be short and thick leaves, thick stems, dark green color, and more than 4 self-roots.

(III) Repotting

Separate the soil into coarse and fine parts, take out the aloe, carefully shake off the soil, and be careful not to damage the roots. Cut off unnecessary roots, and the other roots can be shortened by one third of their length. First place a metal mesh at the bottom of the pot to cover the hole, add coarse soil, stand the aloe on it, hold the aloe upright while pouring in fine soil, and at the same time press and fix the soil beside the plant, leaving no gaps between the soil and the roots. After pressing the soil in the flower pot firmly, keep the height about 2 cm below the rim of the pot; finally, slowly water thoroughly into the pot, place it in semi-shade for care, and after the seedlings recover, move them to a sunny place for care.

Aloe vera is a “natural beautician,” and many people want to grow aloe vera at home. So how do you grow aloe vera fast? The above introduced aloe vera growing methods and some precautions. Of course, more importantly, you still need to be attentive. Only with careful cultivation and watering with love can you grow aloe vera, or any kind of plant, well.