
Aloe Vera Plant Care: How to Take Care of Aloe Vera Plants
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The tap root on my aloe is huge! Can't find a deep enough pot for it. So the plant itself sits tilted, in the pot. What can I do? I live in zone 6, so I can't plant it outside.
Can I cut back some of the tap root so the plant will sit even when I transplant it into a bigger pot?
Before transplanting, you can cut back both the large taproot and the smaller horizontal roots; especially focus on removing any dead or rotting roots. Although aloe is quite resilient about pruning, trim only up to about 1/3 of the rootball at a time (leaving 2/3 intact). Aloe likes to be snug in its pot and should fill the new pot about 2/3 full. After the roots are cut, some people allow the roots to air dry for a day or two, so that the wound starts to heals over a bit before placing the plant in new growing medium; this can help to prevent diseases, etc., from entering through the cuts. If you transplant immediately after pruning the roots, hold off on watering for a few days, to discourage rot. Hope this helps!
Aloes usually have a shallow, wide root system, so a deep taproot is a mystery! Have you tried online sources for indoor plant pots? Although local stores may not have just the right size for your plant, perhaps online might offer a wider selection. Try to find one in which the roots will take up about 2 inches beyond the deepest root, and about 1 to 2 inches between the plant and the container edge. Some people have fun making their own pots, or repurposing items, such as buckets, etc., to use as planters. If you’d like to try that, be sure to add a drainage hole to the container, if needed.
I have two aloe Vera plants, one of them grows thicker but not wide how can I make it so that it grows wide and thick, it sorta looks spiral from the main stem. My second aloe Vera is tiny and won’t thicken, and one of the stems is yellow at the tip. Any advice?
My aloe plant completely fell apart. Whole healthy leaves fell off from the soil. Sad face! Is there anything I can do to save what’s in the soil and get a new plant to rise?
Aloes drop leaves when they are overwatered. Succulents need very little water. Let it dry out. Repot in lightly dampened soil. Don’t water it until it dries out.
Good article! I just brought an aloe vera home from the supermarket and in only a couple of days it stretched out towards the light, which was unexpected for a succulent!?
Its a fairly bright westward window. I wanted to say that I learned not to use aloe directly from the plant, but let the cut off leaf "bleedcin a glass of water a few hours first. It will turn milky as the Aloe releases latex which is naturally generated in the leaves and can cause irritation.
Once the latex is depleted the pulp or gel can be used to treat skin, or a piece of cut leaf can be taped to a wound with a bandaid or bandage. Removingnthe latex (over night to be sure) also makes it edible without real risk of nausea etc. Just don't overdo it, a half teaspoonspoon of gel in a smoothy is enough.
You don't want to ingest latex. Or pour it on a wound.
I live in a nordic climate so they get leggy in winter, but I shall try out a supplememtary led light and see if that helps.
Question: do I need to repot my plant? It's still as it came from the store a few days ago.
Thank you!
Hi Jo-
There is no need to repot your aloe, yet (unless you really want to).
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Best way to Grow and Care Aloe Vera
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