How to Cultivate Aloe Vera
Main content introduction: Knowledge about how to cultivate aloe vera and the techniques for planting aloe vera, including information about flowers and plants. If there are any mistakes, please feel free to correct them!
Aloe vera is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. Before raising it, prepare well-draining, breathable neutral soil and a flower pot of appropriate size. There is no need to water excessively during the cultivation process; maintain the principle of watering only when the soil is dry. Aloe vera loves light, so it is best to place it in a well-ventilated and sunny area outdoors for cultivation. Aloe vera is heat-tolerant, with the most suitable growth temperature around 20°C. Fertilizing aloe vera should be based on its growth condition and environment. The following sections will introduce the selection of flower pots, soil choice, environmental temperature, and water and fertilizer management in detail.
1. Flower Pot Selection
Before cultivating aloe vera, it is very necessary to choose a flower pot of appropriate size. If the aloe vera seedling is large and the pot is small, it will inhibit the healthy growth of the aloe vera. Conversely, if the seedling is small and the pot is large, it can lead to the soil not drying easily after each watering, which over time can cause root rot and make the plant look top-heavy and lack beauty.
2. Soil Choice
Aloe vera prefers well-draining, breathable, and loose neutral soil that does not compact easily. You can mix humus soil, coarse sand, and garden soil in a ratio of 4:2:2. The proportion of coarse sand should not be too high because sandy soil can easily lead to the loss of water and nutrients, causing malnutrition.
3. Environmental Temperature
Aloe vera loves light and is heat-tolerant. Sufficient sunlight is very beneficial for its growth, so it is best to maintain 6-7 hours of sunlight every day. However, this does not mean that the more sunlight, the better. During the hot summer, it is best to provide some shade to prevent sunburn. It is also sensitive to cold, so the cultivation environment should be between 15-30°C, with the most suitable growth temperature around 20°C. If the temperature drops below 0°C, the plant can easily die, and if it exceeds 30°C, it can easily wither. In the summer, you need to spray water to increase the humidity around the plant and lower the temperature.
4. Water and Fertilizer Management
Do not water aloe vera too frequently, only water when the soil is dry. In the hot summer, you can maintain a frequency of watering once every 3-5 days, preferably after sunset. In winter, the watering frequency should be reduced, and it is best to water at noon. In spring and autumn, the frequency and time of watering are not limited and depend on the condition of the plant. Fertilizing aloe vera mainly involves calcium phosphate or compound fertilizer. Fertilize more when the temperature is high and growth is fast, and less when it is slow. Aloe vera has few pests and diseases and generally does not require pesticides.
5. Propagation Methods
Common propagation methods include division and cutting propagation. Division propagation is usually carried out in early spring. Remove the plant from the potting soil, select healthy basal seedlings to pot separately, without planting too deep. Water less in the early stages and water thoroughly after about half a month. Cutting propagation takes longer to root. Cut a 10 cm piece of leaf from the top of the old plant as a cutting, apply some wood ash to the cut surface, let it dry for two days, and then insert it into the potting soil, keeping the soil moist.
The above explanation about how to cultivate aloe vera and the techniques for planting it, I hope it brings a little help to your life!