Key Technical Points for Scientific Management of Aloe vera (Curaçao Aloe) in Greenhouse Cultivation

    Aloe vera (Curaçao Aloe) is a herbaceous, succulent, perennial plant of the Liliaceae family. Mature plants have emerald green leaves with faded white spots, leaf length 60-80 cm, width 10-15 cm, smooth and fleshy, with high ornamental value. It also has medicinal, health-care, cosmetic, and air-purifying functions, and relatively high commercial value. In North China, greenhouse cultivation should pay attention to the following technical points.

I. Disinfection, fertilization, land preparation and bed making.

    Aloe vera (Curaçao Aloe) does not like clay or waterlogging. For planting, choose loose and fertile sandy loam soil, and dig drainage ditches well. 15-20 days before planting, evenly spray 1 kg of 10% baidu dust powder per mu in the greenhouse, and apply 5 cubic meters of farmyard manure at one time. Deep plough 25 cm, rake level and make beds, bed width 1.3 m, close the greenhouse, and carry out high-temperature disinfection.

II. Reasonable close planting.

    Keep the greenhouse closed for about 15 days, then open all vents for ventilation and prepare for planting. After 3-4 days of ventilation, when there is basically no odor in the greenhouse, plant. For planting, choose seedling transplanting or cuttings. In North China, planting in spring and autumn is better. At this time, transplanting seedlings or cuttings of shoot tips results in faster seedling recovery and rooting, and helps safe overwintering. When transplanting, choose healthy, disease-free seedlings with more than 2 leaves. For cuttings, choose healthy, disease-free shoots with 2-3 leaves, leaf length 10-15 cm, air-dried for 3-4 days, with wounds healed well. The plant spacing is 50 cm x 50 cm, and the two rows should be staggered to facilitate light exposure and leaf growth. After planting, irrigate thoroughly with flooding.

III. Scientific management.

    1. Removing weeds can improve the absorption and utilization rate of fertilizers by aloe, can also improve photosynthesis of aloe, and reduce the chance of disease infection. Within half a year after planting, timely hoe and weed after each watering. Aloe roots grow in the shallow surface layer, and hoeing when roots spread easily damages the roots, so after half a year of planting, no more hoeing should be done. Weeds should be pulled out, and herbicides must not be used. During the growth of aloe, lateral buds easily grow from the base. If lateral buds are used for propagation, wait until the lateral buds grow to 3-4 leaves, cut them off with a clean knife, air-dry for 3-4 days, and then use. Otherwise, remove the lateral buds to reduce fertilizer consumption. 2. Water at the right time, and avoid waterlogging. If the soil is too wet, aeration is poor, and root rot and leaf rot are likely to form. Watering should ensure that the soil dries soon after watering. If the soil is too dry, aloe grows slowly. Combine appropriate watering with organic fertilizer application; do not water with plain water only. Apply 20 kg of organic fertilizer per mu each time. 3. The suitable temperature for aloe growth is about 25°C. Above 30°C or below 7°C is unfavorable for growth. Around National Day, install anti-drip film on the greenhouse and prepare straw mats to prevent cold waves from freezing and damaging the aloe. In winter, hang straw curtains or cotton curtains inside and outside the greenhouse door. When the outside temperature drops below 5°C, set up a small arch shed inside the greenhouse to raise the temperature. When dry, water under the film; do not flood irrigate, to prevent excessively high humidity and disease infection. After watering, enlarge the vents. When lowering the temperature inside the greenhouse, enlarge the vents and pull open the straw mats. Aloe likes weak light and fears strong light. Above 30°C, direct sunlight can easily scorch the leaves. When the average temperature is about 20°C, promptly remove the anti-drip film and install shade netting. 4. Aloe has a fragrance and has a repellent effect on insects, so pest damage generally does not occur. If there are red spiders or aphids, take an appropriate amount of loofah, add water, mash, remove the residue, take the original liquid, mix 7 parts original liquid with 13 parts water, add 0.5 kg water per kg and a small amount of soap liquid, stir evenly, and spray. To prevent anthracnose, brown spot, and root rot, reasonably increase organic fertilizer application, apply little or no pure nitrogen fertilizer, and improve disease resistance. Spray once every 10 days with 40% phosethyl aluminum wettable powder 500 times solution or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times solution to prevent anthracnose and brown spot. Use streptomycin 2000 times solution to prevent root rot.