"Natural Beauty Expert" How to Grow Aloe Vera So It Grows Fast? Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Precautions
Everyone knows that aloe vera has many benefits: it not only has ornamental value, but can also be used for beauty care and eaten, and aloe vera is even known as the “natural beauty expert.” Growing aloe vera indoors can absorb harmful gases and purify the air in a room. So, how do you grow aloe vera so it grows well? Below, the editor will give you a detailed introduction to aloe vera cultivation 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 gardeners. Aloe vera has extremely strong vitality and is very easy to grow. Its growth characteristics are that it likes sunlight but fears scorching sun; it likes moisture but hates 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 blazing sun.
II. Aloe Vera Cultivation Methods
(I) Specific Cultivation of Aloe Vera
Soil and fertilizer: The ideal aloe vera growing soil is mainly swamp soil and sand, with leaf mold, grass ash, and shell pieces added. Clay soil is not good for drainage and should be avoided as much as possible.
If the soil already 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 the 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 water 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 harden. Ordinary soil can be mixed with some sand, gravel, and ash residue; if leaf mold and grass ash can be added, even better.
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 frost-free environments all year round. It stops growing at around 5°C, and at 0°C its life processes will be impaired; if it is 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.
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 suitable, and earthworm castings are 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 shrivel, and the branches and roots easily rot, or even die. In summer it has a short dormant period, so watering should be controlled and it is best to keep it dry.
Especially for young plants that have just been potted, they are not tolerant of high temperatures and rain, so they should be slightly shaded. After autumn, move them indoors for care, preferably placing them in a sunny and well-ventilated place, and watering must also be strictly controlled.
3. Pot 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, aloe vera potting soil is required to be loose, fertile, and active. 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 low-cost, pest-free, pollution-free substances and materials can be chosen. 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 basically spring or autumn is 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, sturdy stems. If aloe vera is obtained by division, choose thick seedlings that root in spring.
Temperature and light: Aloe vera originated in tropical and desert regions, so its leaves have a good water-storage function and will not wither and die during drought. It tolerates drought and fears waterlogging, likes light and fears damp shade, tolerates high temperatures and fears cold.
It will not wither and die after being placed in the sun for two months, and it can still survive being exposed to 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. In winter, placing them in a sunny place above 5 degrees is enough for them 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, by removing the densely grown 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-June, cutting the top short stem 10 to 15 cm, and after the cut is dried, inserting it into a sand bed. Generally, about 2 weeks after insertion, they can 4 take root.
(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 grown from suckers at the base of the aloe stem or roots, with 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 leave the young seedlings in place and let them grow for a period of time, generally about half a month, to form an independent root system and reach a completely self-supporting state. Then transplant the young seedlings with soil and plant them in the field, and immediately water once with settling water.
(2) Aloe vera cutting propagation
Aloe vera cutting propagation uses the characteristic that the lower ends of rootless aloe main stems and side branches 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 apical bud, the side buds develop rapidly, and the many branches that grow can be used as cutting propagation material. Aloe vera cuttings mainly use stem cuttings and root cuttings, while leaf cuttings are difficult to succeed. Aloe vera cuttings can be done in the open field, or in protected greenhouses or indoors.
III. Precautions for Growing Aloe Vera
(I) Choosing a flower pot
The process of moving aloe vera from the ground or a seedling container into a flower pot is called potting. Before potting, a suitable flower pot must be chosen 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 be 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, which very easily causes root rot.
(II) Selecting seedlings
Before potting, there is another very important task: carefully selecting all aloe seedlings. Healthy aloe seedlings should be chosen, and their morphological characteristics should be short and thick leaves, sturdy 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 over the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and add coarse soil. Stand the aloe on top of 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 the soil in the flower pot is pressed firm, keep the height about 2 cm below the edge of the pot; finally, slowly water thoroughly into the pot, place it in half shade for care, and after the seedlings recover, move them to a sunny place for care.
Aloe vera is the “natural beauty expert.” Many people want to grow aloe vera at home themselves. So, how do you grow aloe vera so it grows fast? The above introduced aloe vera cultivation methods and some precautions. Of course, what is more important is still to be attentive. Only with careful cultivation and watering with love can you grow aloe vera or any kind of plant well.