Detailed Guide to Aloe Vera Cutting Propagation: Remember These Steps and You Will Succeed

Introduction

Aloe vera is now very popular among gardening enthusiasts, and in many homes, potted aloe vera plants appear. Keeping them at home can not only help us remove formaldehyde and toxic gases from the home, but the leaves can also be picked off and used for beauty treatments and face masks. Some people even add it to food and eat it. So aloe vera is currently one of the most popular green plants, and its propagation method is also very simple. We need to propagate aloe vera by cuttings. Propagating aloe vera this way can not only increase its survival rate but also effectively help aloe vera take root.

Selecting the Cutting Leaf

To successfully propagate aloe vera, the first thing we should pay attention to is selecting the most suitable aloe vera leaf for cutting. We need to choose a very vigorously growing aloe vera and must choose the outermost leaf. When choosing the leaf, be sure to pick the strongest one on the entire plant. To increase the success rate of cutting, we must choose a leaf of more than 8 cm, and when cutting the leaf off, be sure to use a sterilized small knife. Only this way can we avoid infection at the wound of the aloe vera. Then we can place it in a cool, humid place and wait for the wound to heal.

Waiting for the Cut to Heal

The aloe vera leaf we just cut must not be directly planted as a cutting. Be sure to place the aloe vera leaf in a cool place to air-dry before cutting. We need to put the aloe vera leaf in a warm place at 25°C and wait for the cut surface of the aloe vera to slowly air-dry and the wound to heal. When you see that a thin film has grown over the cut part, then it is already ready for cutting. This time will also depend on the environment. If the environment is clean and the temperature is suitable, the wound will heal within five days. If the environment is not good, half a month is also possible.

Soil

In the specific steps of propagating aloe vera, the most important thing is the choice of flower pot and soil. The flower pot must have holes at the bottom to allow water drainage, and the soil must be loose sandy soil. It must also be ensured that the soil is fertile, or you can buy some special soil for succulent plants, which can also be used as soil for aloe vera cuttings. However, we need to lay a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the flower pot. This can ensure the drainage of the flower pot, avoid blockage of the drainage holes, and prevent water accumulation.

Cutting

The last step is simply to insert the prepared aloe vera leaf into the soil. At this time we need to pay attention: the part inserted into the soil must be 1/3 of the leaf, at least 2 cm. The leaf should stand upright; do not let it remain half-fallen, as this will make it grow faster. After cutting, we need to water just a little to keep the soil moist. Then we need to wait quietly for one month, and after that the aloe vera cutting can grow new stems.

Precautions for Cutting

Actually, propagating aloe vera by cuttings is a rather risky practice, and its survival rate is not very high. Therefore, to increase the survival rate of aloe vera cuttings, we must pay attention to cleanliness. Whether when cutting the aloe vera leaf or when air-drying the cut surface of the aloe vera, we must be careful not to let the aloe vera be infected by any details. Otherwise, all our efforts will be wasted, and the chance of successful aloe vera cutting will be very small.

Suitable Temperature and Moist Soil

When cutting aloe vera, we must pay attention to whether the temperature is suitable. The temperature cannot be low or too high. It is best to keep it between 20-28°C. Just after cutting, the aloe vera has not yet taken root, so it is very weak and absolutely must not be in an environment below 20°C. Aloe vera needs water very much during growth, so when cutting we naturally cannot let it be too dry. We need to maintain at least some moisture in the soil for aloe vera cuttings, but be sure not to water it too much. A half-dry, half-moist state is best. Otherwise, before the aloe vera has taken root, it will already have been drowned by our water.

Plenty of Sunlight

When cutting aloe vera, be sure to pay attention that it needs sufficient sunlight, and the aloe vera cutting leaf must also face the sun. Do not put it in a cool place. As long as the aloe vera is exposed to sunlight, it can carry out photosynthesis. Only in this way can nutrients be well transported into the soil and root formation of the aloe vera be promoted. At this time we must note that the aloe vera will be very weak, so be sure not to put it in direct sunlight. This will cause the aloe vera leaves to turn yellow and may very likely lead to failure of our cutting. So I believe that through the steps described above, you will also be fully able to learn the method of cutting aloe vera. Finally, I also wish everyone success in propagating big and beautiful aloe vera at home.