How to Grow Aloe Vera Plant

 

The botanical name of Aloe Vera plant is Aloe barbadensis miller and the plant is commonly grown as a houseplant. The Aloe Vera plant is known for its leaves which actually contain a soothing gel that is used on sunburns and other skin irritations. The Aloe Vera plant has over three hundred species (which the most common one is Aloe barbadensis miller), the Aloe Vera plant is a tropical succulent plant that has a fleshy lance-shape leaves with jagged edges that grow out from a basal rosette.

If the Aloe Vera plants are on the right growing conditions a spiky flower will appear on the end of the stalks in shades of red, yellow, or orange. Below is the basic information about Aloe Vera plant.

The common name: The common name is Aloe Vera.

The botanical name:   The botanical name Aloe barbadensis miller.

The family: Aloe Vera plants belong to Asphodelaceae family.

The plant type: Aloe Vera plant is a succulent, herb, perennial plant.

The mature size: The mature size is about twelve to thirty-six inches tall, six to twelve inches wide.

The sun exposure: Aloe Vera plants prefer full, partial sun.

The soil Type: Sandy

The soil pH: Acidic

The blooming time: The blooming time is summer:

The flower color: The flower colors are yellow, red, and orange.

USDA hardiness zones: Ten to twelve.

Native Area: Aloe Vera plant is native to Africa.

Plant toxicity: The Aloe Vera plants are toxic to humans and pets.

Aloe Vera varieties

Aloe Vera plants have over five hundred species, however not all of the species are cultivated for growing in the garden or home. Some of the Aloe Vera species have thorny leaves, while some species trail and climb, and others are round in shape. The following are the most gardener favorite’s varieties;

-         The Aloe polyphylla (Spiral Aloe) variety: The Aloe polyphylla (Spiral Aloe) variety is a captivating succulent that grows in a spiral and bears orange flowers. The Aloe polyphylla (Spiral Aloe) is a large, egg-shaped plant (twenty to twenty-four inches round) that hugs the ground and it features gray-green leaves with purple tips.

-         The Aloe aculeate variety: The Aloe aculeate variety is about three feet tall and wide when mature and it grows thick, broad leaves with teeth, or thorns, on both sides. The Aloe aculeate variety features yellow or orange flowers and they can be found growing naturally in rocky areas and in the grasslands of Africa between one thousand five hundred and five thousand six hundred feet.

-         The Aloe ciliaris variety: The Aloe ciliaris is also known as "climbing aloe," this particular variety is a succulent vine with stems that can grow up to thirty feet long. The Aloe ciliaris actually bears bright orange tubular flowers near the terminal ends of the leaves, and it is sometimes planted in drought-stricken landscapes as a fire block.

-         The Aloe brevifolia, or "short-leaf aloe," variety: The Aloe brevifolia, or "short-leaf aloe," variety is round in shape with thick, triangular leaves that have a bluish hue and orange tips. The Aloe brevifolia, or "short-leaf aloe," variety grows less than a foot tall, but its golden rosettes actually make it a popular landscape addition.

How to grow Aloe Vera

The Aloe Vera plants need a good sandy soil or a cactus potting medium to thrive in containers. If the Aloe Vera plants are grown outdoors in zones ten through twelve, you need to plant them next to others with similar needs. You can merge Aloe Vera into a xeriscaped border planting, or make the plant an entryway focal point by potting the plant on its own. The potted Aloe Vera plant actually looks nice on decks and patios where the plant also comes in handy for use on emergency burns and bites. For the outdoors plant, blooming may actually occur in late spring or early summer; blooms usually don't appear on the potted indoor specimens. However, the Aloe Vera plant needs to be very mature in order to bloom at all and, even still, the plant may not bloom every year, most especially if the plant leaves are being harvested for use. The Aloe Vera plant requires little watering and virtually no fertilizing, this actually makes it an easy-care houseplant for beginner gardeners. 

Light requirement

Aloe Vera plants actually need bright, natural light in order to thrive. For outdoors planting you need to aim up to 6 hours of full sun, with a small shade reprieve in the afternoon.

When growing Aloe Vera plant inside, the Aloe Vera plant should be placed in a window with bright, indirect sunlight. Direct sun can easily burn the plants tender skin, on the other hand lack of light will cause the Aloe Vera plant to grow leggy and weaken its leaves, causing the plant to crease.

Soil requirement

In the plant natural habitat, the plant normally grows in nutrient-poor soil conditions, on sandy slopes with guaranteed drainage. Make sure there is proper drainage in the container by using a cactus potting medium or traditional potting soil mixed with perlite and coarse sand. The Aloe Vera plant prefers its soil slightly acidic, hovering around 6.0, although the plant is highly adaptable and the plant can also grow well in neutral or alkaline soils.

Water requirement

The Aloe Vera plants prefer to be watered regularly, as long as the soil dries out completely in between waterings. If the soil actually remains dry for a long period of time the Aloe Vera plant leaves will shrivel and pucker slightly.

The Aloe Vera plant can go dormant in the winter and the plant won’t require any water at all, provided the plant received sufficient water during its growing season. If your climate is rainy during the winter you can consider planting the Aloe Vera plant in gravel or stones. This will allow the water to run off and also prevent rot on the plant.

Temperature and humidity requirement

The Aloe Vera plant grows naturally in arid, tropical, and semi-tropical environments, so mimicking these conditions will allow the Aloe Vera plant to thrive. Aim for a temperature between fifty-five degree Fahrenheit and eighty-five degree Fahrenheit and don't leave your container Aloe Vera plant outdoors if nights are forecasted to dip below forty degree Fahrenheit.

Aloe Vera plant can handle dry air and the plant does not require extra humidity. About 40 % relative humidity is ideal.

Fertilizer requirement

Aloe Vera plant actually grows best in poor soil conditions (Aloe Vera plant can adapt to nutritionally poor desert soil) and the plant does not require any fertilization at all. Actually feeding the Aloe Vera plant once a year each spring will help to maintain the plant vibrant growth.

You can apply a liquid 10-40-10 houseplant fertilizer, diluted to half strength, this actually works best for an annual feeding. For the outdoors Aloe Vera plant, the plant can thrives without any fertilization.

Pruning Aloe Vera

The Aloe Vera plants actually needs pruning only if the plant leaves are shriveled and dead. You can also prune the Aloe Vera plants that are damaged by environmental factors. If the outer leaves of your Aloe Vera plant go brown at the tips you can easily cut them back as well.

To prune your Aloe Vera plants, you can use a clean garden shears and either cut off only the affected plant tip, or you can prune the entire plant leaf altogether at its base. Pruning the plant leaves at the base either dead or alive will help to encourage new growth while also making the Aloe Vera plant aesthetically pleasing. Never you cut an Aloe Vera leaf in its center.

Aloe Vera propagation

Actually Aloe Vera plants are best propagated by replanting the offsets (the pups) that develop at the base of the Aloe Vera plant. The mature Aloe Vera plants will often produce many pups, this will make it very easy for you to relocate them to other containers or parts of the garden, or you can also gift them to friends.

The following step is how to propagate Aloe Vera plant from pups:

- You need to get gloves, a trowel, a container, and a cactus potting medium.

- Just put on your gloves and then fill your container with potting mix.

- Just locate the pups at the base of the mother plant of the Aloe Vera. You can use a trowel to pry up the pup and sever the taproot that connects it to the mother.

- You need to lay the pup flat and then dry it in a sunny window for some days to allow any broken cuts to callus over.

- You can plant the pup in the container, cover every root carefully. Just backfill the soil below the main crown.

- Water the Aloe Vera plant and then place the plant in a sunny window. It may take about 3 to 4 months for it to grow roots. Just be patient for some time.

Pest and disease control

Aloe Vera plants also face some pest and disease challenges. The following are the pest and disease that attack Aloe Vera plants;

-         Aphids and Mealybugs on Aloe Vera plant: Mealybugs and aphids are the most common sap-sucking insects that attack Aloe Vera plants. These insects will cause severe damage to the Aloe Vera plants if left untreated.

Make sure you always inspection the Aloe Vera plants for aphids or mealybugs, this is very important.

Actually there are some organic pesticides that you can use.

You can also use systemic garden insecticide sprays to control these pests.

Make sure you pull the centre of the leaves apart where they seem to be stuck together, before applying any insecticide.

It is also very vital to cut off the infected and damaged leaves.

You can also spraying the plant with a high pressure of water from a garden hose.

You can also wipe off aphids and mealybugs with a sponge of soapy water

You can also spraying these pests with neem oil.

-         Black Leaf Spot on Aloe Vera: When the Aloe Vera plants are under stress due to excessive moisture or high temperatures combined with high humidity, the Aloe Vera plant will experience black leaf spot which is caused by a variety of fungal or bacterial infections. Another thing that will make it worse is bad drainage, not enough sun and poor soil.

By improving the soil for planting (rich organic soil), and also allowing more sun on the plant and improving drainage, black spot will not appear on the new Aloe plant leaves.

You can also spray fungicide like mancoseb if the spots are really unsightly.

-         White Scale on Aloe Vera: White scale on Aloe Vera plants are caused by scale insects. At the beginning it will look like a coin sized spot of white dust on the Aloe Vera plant leaf and later it will gradually cover more and more of the upper plant leaf and the lower surface. Sooner or later it will deprive the Aloe Vera plant of sunlight to the extent that the plant will deteriorate and die.

What you need to do is to brush off the living insects with a toothbrush a strong jet of water. You can also apply a solution of soapy water, most garden expert suggest adding a little methylates spirits to the soapy water.

-         Eriophyid Mites on Aloe Vera: Another pests that attack Aloe Vera plants are Eriophyid Mites. These pests can cause serious damage to the Aloe Vera plant leaves. The mites do penetrate the Aloe Vera plant cells causing visible deformations and abnormalities in the form of unsightly galls on the Aloe Vera plant leaves.

Make sure the affected Aloe Vera plants are destroyed and dispose immediately and don’t leave any affected plant materials on the garden.

Another preventive control measures is the spraying of neem oil insecticides.