How To Take Care Of Aloe Vera Plants

Aloe vera is a plant native to the tropics, but if you live in a place with cold winters, you can still keep the plant’s beauty and health when grown indoors. Aloe vera must be potted with a succulent soil mix. Aloe vera likes a warm and dry soil environment, not wet and cold, so you should only water the plant when the soil is almost completely dry. When aloe vera has seedlings , you can separate the seedlings to plant in another pot.

Table of Contents

Provide Sunlight, Water and Fertilizer

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Place the aloe vera plant in a sunny location. A sunny kitchen window position or another location in the house where the sun shines in will be perfect for plant growth. Places with indirect light are also good for the plant. However, in places with lots of shade, the plant will not grow. Therefore, you must make sure to choose a location in your home that has enough sunlight to place the potted plant.

You can move the plant outdoors in the summer when there is no dew. An aloe vera plant is 95% water, so a light mist will freeze and soften the plant. ^{[1] X Research Source}
If you live in a warm place and want to grow your aloe vera plant outdoors, choose a location that receives full sun (6-8 hours of sunlight per day) to plant the pot.

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Water absorbent, but water sparingly. Aloe vera is a low-maintenance plant because it does not require a lot of water. When the water in the soil is at least 5 cm above the surface, slowly permeate the soil until you can see the water running through the drainage holes. Watering should only be continued when the water is at least 5 cm away from the surface. In most environments, the plant is watered every one and a half or two weeks, and watered less frequently in winter. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you are reposting your aloe vera plant, wait 2-3 days and then water it. This will give the roots time to acclimate to the new soil before absorbing the water.
When feeling uncertain, water less, not more. When the plant is over-watered, the roots will begin to rot and the plant will eventually die. It’s best to wait a few more days if you’re not sure if it’s time to water the plant.
If you really want to take good care of your aloe vera plant, consider providing it with rainwater. When it rains, the aloe vera plant will be watered and vice versa. This will create an environment similar to the tree’s natural habitat. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Replace Pots for Aloe Vera

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Observe the pot of aloe vera. When first bought, aloe vera is often grown in small and thin plastic pots. To help the plant live longer, it is best to replace it with a larger pot that can create more space for the plant. Once you’ve grown your aloe vera in a large clay pot with a drainage hole in the bottom, you won’t need to repot it.

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Use a soil mix for growing cacti. Just like cacti, aloe vera prefers dry, sandy soil. They will not thrive in the usual moist soil environment. So choose the right soil mix for growing cacti or succulents – plants that store water and have roots that only grow in dry soil instead of wet soil.

If you live in a place with high temperatures between 15-35 degrees Celsius, without a cold climate, you can grow aloe vera plants outdoors instead of indoors. Replace the potting soil by tilling it loosely and mixing it with a bag of soil (soil suitable for growing succulents). If the soil is too wet and too fertile, add a little sand to ensure drainage for the plant. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Choose a pot 3 times larger than the potting soil that covers the roots. The root potting soil consists of the roots and the soil just below the tree. Aloe vera is a species that is easy to grow and spread, so use a large pot so that the plant has plenty of space to grow. Use an earthen pot with drainage holes and a tray underneath to collect soil and water.

After a few months or a year of care, you will see the aloe vera plant growing out of the pot. If the leaves are as tall as the pot, you should change the pot to a larger one. Replace with a new pot 3 times the current size of the root pot.

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Plant the aloe vera plant in a pot so that the leaves are not covered with soil. Put a little soil in the pot, then put the potting soil wrapped in the roots in the middle and then fill the soil around the root pot to the base of the leaves. Use your hands to gently pat the plant in place.

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Sprinkle gravel or seashells on top of the soil. This step will help retain moisture and restore the natural environment for the plant. Pick any gravel, small rocks or shells you like and sprinkle them over the top of the soil.

Propagation and Use of Aloe Vera

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Seedling propagation. These are baby plants that grow out of the main tree. When you see that the baby plant is fully formed, separate it from the parent plant. Care must be taken during separation so as not to break the roots. Place the seedling on a clean, dry stand for a few days to strengthen the plant. Then plant the seedlings in a small pot with the soil mix used for growing succulents or cacti.

If the seedling has no roots, you can still propagate it. Place the soil in a small pot and place the seedling on the ground with the cut side facing down. Instead of watering, sprinkle some water on the plant for a few days. Eventually, you should see some roots sprouting from the tree. At this point you can plant the plant in a pot.

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Use aloe vera to treat burns. Having aloe vera in the house is very helpful as they can instantly treat sunburns and other types of burns. If you have to be exposed to the sun all day, causing your skin to turn red, break an aloe vera leaf and apply it to your skin. Or you can squeeze the sap from the leaves and apply it to the skin. The broken leaves will harden, so the aloe vera plant will not be affected.

Place the broken aloe vera leaves in the refrigerator to cool, then use the leaves to apply to the burn.
Do not apply aloe vera leaves on open wounds. Only use it for burns. If the burn is too large, it’s best to see a doctor.

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Make face masks, hair lotions, soaps and more. Aloe vera is an excellent natural moisturizer, making it the perfect ingredient for beauty products used on the body. You can use pure aloe vera resin as a skin moisturizer or mix it with other ingredients to make masks or other products. Try following these recipes:

Mask from aloe vera: mix 1 spoon of aloe vera resin with 1 spoon of honey and 1 spoon of clay (cosmetic type). Apply the mixture on your face for 15 minutes then wash it off.
Hair oil from aloe vera: mix 1 teaspoon of aloe vera resin with 1 teaspoon of piu oil and 1 teaspoon of honey. Massage into hair for 1 hour then wash as usual.
Aloe vera lotion: mix 1 teaspoon of aloe vera with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. For use on hands and feet.

Warning

If you have a cat at home, you must keep the cat so that they do not eat the aloe vera plant.

Steps

Provide Sunlight, Water and Fertilizer

Replace Pots for Aloe Vera

Propagation and Use of Aloe Vera

Warning

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