How to Prune an Aloe Plant

Healthy aloe vera plants will grow luxuriantly, produce new leaves, bloom, and even grow seedlings, so this plant needs regular care. Aloe vera plants require more skillful pruning than other plants, but the steps suggested below will help you maintain the plant properly. By removing the damaged and excess parts of the tree, you can help the plant stay healthy and green, worthy of being a beautiful decoration for the room.

Table of Contents

Prune visible parts of the tree

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Prepare the tree cutting tools. You will need a tool that cuts the small petioles and roots, such as a kitchen knife. You can also use scissors; and if the tree has grown quite large, you may need tree shears to edit the tree.

Sterilize kitchen knives before cutting plants. You can disinfect it by wiping the blade with rubbing alcohol and letting it dry.

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Prune damaged leaves. Deal with the bad leaves first. If necessary, carefully split branches and leaves to look for brown, dry, or dead leaves. Unhealthy, discolored leaves should also be removed. Use a knife or scissors to cut at the base of the leaves. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Be gentle when cutting to avoid accidentally breaking healthy leaves.
Pests or pathogens on leaves can spread to the whole plant, so those leaves should be removed.
Lack of light, too little or too much water are often the causes of leaf death.

Cut off the excess leaves outside. Use a knife or scissors to cut the tree off some of the healthy leaves so that the remaining size of the plant fits the pot. Place the blade or scissors close to the base of the petiole and cut neatly. The outer leaves are the oldest and have the most gel. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Aloe vera gel has many medical uses. If you want to use these leaves, you should peel off the prickly edges of the leaves and keep them in the refrigerator until you need the gel.
Avoid cutting leaves that grow close to the main stem of the plant. These leaves are young and need to be left to replace the older leaves.

Remove old petioles and flowers. Trim these parts of the plant in the same way as cutting off the leaves. When the plant blooms, seeds will soon form. When the flowers die, they suck up the nutrients that the plant should have intended for healthy new leaves. However, indoor aloe plants rarely flower, so you probably don’t have to deal with the flowers of indoor aloe plants. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Faded flowers attract pests and can fall into the pot, sucking up water and contaminating the pot.

Clean the land

Remove the side shoots. The lateral shoots are also called the overhanging branches of the tree. These shoots suck up the plant’s nutrients and take up space in the pot. Usually you can pull these shoots out of the ground without harming the plant. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Some of the side shoots can get covered and tangled in the ground, so you’ll have to take the plant out of the pot, carefully remove the soil from the root pot and untangle the roots.
The side shoots are baby aloe plants, so you can plant them in new soil in a separate pot. The shoots should be allowed to dry for a few days before replanting, and be sure to use a special potting mix for succulents and succulents.

Lift the plant out of the pot. Make sure the soil is slightly moist before you lift the plant; This will keep the roots from being damaged. Hold the stem lightly and tilt the pot to the side. The plant will leave the pot when you pull it out. If not, try squeezing the pot or tapping it against a hard surface. Treat the shoots that you have not cut before. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Prune tree roots. You may need to do this if you have to repot the plant. You will first shake off the soil, then prune the long roots and remove some of the side roots. The remaining roots should be enough to take up two-thirds of the space in the new pot, so not only will it be easier for you to replant, but it will also help the plant develop a stronger root system in the new soil. Water lightly until the plant has acclimatized. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Allow the tree to dry for a day after pruning to allow the cut in the roots to heal and prevent long-term damage to the tree.
Look for rotting roots. Find all damaged roots and cut off, taking care not to damage healthy roots. Sprinkle powdered sulfur or charcoal over trimmed areas if possible. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Steps

Prune visible parts of the tree

Clean the land

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