Water aloe this way and it won't rot or shrivel - the leaves will be green and plump with lots of new shoots

Aloe is widely known as easy to grow. As long as you don't overwater it and cause rot, there won't be any major problems. So how do you get the watering just right?

Judging whether an aloe is short of water

First check the soil. We can judge whether the plant is short of water by pushing our index finger a few cm deep into the potting soil. If the soil is dry, that means you need to water. Generally speaking, when the surface soil turns pale, the potting soil won't hold its shape when squeezed, and it feels dusty, that means it's time to water.

In spring and autumn, water once every 7-10 days. If spring brings a rainy season, you can appropriately extend the interval between waterings. Summer's characteristics are high temperatures and high evaporation, so watering should be frequent - once every 3 days is fine. In summer you can also mist the aloe often to lower the temperature, so the leaves don't get scorched by the heat and their tips dry out.

In winter, watering is less frequent - generally once every 30 days, and the watering time should be chosen for midday when the temperature is higher. If the temperature is very, very low, then choose not to water, because potting soil, unlike natural soil, has no insulating effect. If the outside temperature is extremely low, watering at this time easily freezes, so to prevent the roots from being damaged by cold.

Next, check the leaves

As a succulent, the aloe's leaves can store water. When you see the aloe's leaves drooping and shriveling, that means the aloe is short of water.

Also, observe the season

When it's warm, aloe needs more water; after the weather turns cool, the aloe's need for water also decreases. So in autumn and winter you need to reduce watering frequency, especially when the aloe grows in a cooler spot, where it needs frequent watering even less.