How to grow aloe so it thrives? A detailed guide to care methods
Aloe is a plant that combines food, beauty and medicinal uses in one. Demand for it in our country's market is very large, and after a long period of development, there are more and more varieties of aloe, and now basically every variety has a certain area under cultivation. With the expansion of market demand for aloe, the annual yield requirements are also getting higher and higher, so how exactly should aloe be grown well? Let's take a look together below!
1. Site selection and land preparation
The soil in which aloe is grown has a great bearing on its growth. Before planting, we should choose soil with sufficient fertility, that is deep and soft, and that drains and irrigates normally, then do a good job of land preparation. Plow it about 30 cm deep, do a good job of disinfection, and remove disease pathogens and insect eggs from the soil. Then apply sufficient farmyard manure, controlling the amount well, about 1800 kg per mu, and harrow the soil finely. Then, according to the terrain and area, make beds ready for planting. If the soil is too sticky and wet, it is not suitable for planting, as it will seriously affect the growth of the aloe's roots.
2. Propagation methods
Aloe propagation is generally based on division propagation, and the time for division is usually around March-April and September-November each year. First dig out the suckers with roots around the aloe plant, then cut them off from the mother stem, and they can be planted appropriately. There is also bud cutting propagation: first take out the newly grown 6-9 cm shoots from the leaf axils. Place them in a cool, ventilated place, and control the storage time according to the season. In summer, keep it at about 4 hours, while in winter it needs to be extended to about 30 hours. When the cut gradually air-dries, they can be cuttings at the right time.
3. Timely planting
There are also certain requirements for the planting time of aloe. It is usually done in spring and autumn, when the seedlings from division and bud cuttings have grown to about 15 cm. When planting, pay attention to controlling the spacing between plants and rows; do not plant too densely, to prevent them from becoming too crowded as they grow and affecting each other's growth. Plant about two rows per bed, and one plant per planting hole. When planting, pay attention to spreading out the seedling roots to increase the contact area with the soil. Then fill in soil and press it firm; if the soil lacks water, water appropriately, and do a good job of shading.
4. Daily management
In high-temperature environments such as summer, pay attention to watering appropriately to increase the soil's water content. But also pay attention to controlling the amount well; do not use too much, to prevent excessive water accumulation that causes aloe root rot. During the growth period of aloe, do a good job of cultivating and weeding to concentrate nutrients on the aloe plants. Weeds can be piled together to compost as fertilizer. Then, according to the growth of the aloe, do a good job of fertilizing, mainly with farmyard manure and compound fertilizer, to meet the nutritional needs of aloe growth.
The above is a brief introduction to how to grow aloe well. Of course, we also need to do a good job of pest and disease control to avoid pests and diseases harming the growth of aloe and reducing planting benefits. That is all for today's introduction; this article is for reference only. I hope it can help everyone!