Aloe vera » Planting, care, watering and more

With a bizarre silhouette and magnificent flowers, the aloe vera on the windowsill provides decorative diversity. At the same time, the exotic plant acts as a green pharmacy thanks to its rich juice. If you still have questions about the correct care of succulents, you will get a profound answer here.

Plant aloe vera properly

Because it aloe vera completely lacking in winter hardiness, cultivation in the bed is rarely an option. Therefore, the tropical plant is usually found in decorative tubs. Since the magnificent flower is often unsuitable in the trade potting soil is offered, we recommend planting immediately after purchase in a suitable substrate. cactus soil is excellently adapted to the needs of the succulent desert lily. How to do it professionally:

Lay shards of clay or expanded clay over the water drain in the bottom of the bucket as drainage
Fill the planter half to three quarters with substrate
Plant the young plant to just below the lower leaves

Freshly planted aloe vera is watered thoroughly and then left to dry well in a partially shaded location until the next watering. After 3 to 4 weeks of acclimatization, the desert lily is happy about a sunny place on the windowsill or the summer balcony.

care tips

The plant, which is as spectacular as it is useful, does its job without requiring extensive care. If the location is in a sunny and warm place, with temperatures of more than 10 degrees Celsius, care revolves around the following measures:

Water the plant moderately to allow the substrate to dry out well in the meantime
Preferably use low-lime water, which is administered from below
Apply liquid cactus fertilizer every 4 weeks from March to October
Cut yellowed, drawn-in leaves at the outer edge and twist out

If the plant spends 4-5 weeks at a cool 10 to 13 degrees during the winter dormancy, this precaution contributes significantly to lush flowering induction. Water only once or twice a month during the vegetation break and do not administer any fertilizer. Repot the exotic flower into a larger pot in early spring every 2 to 3 years.
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Which location is suitable?

Immigrated from the tropical and subtropical regions of this earth, the exotic flower proves to be a sun worshiper. The ideal location should be chosen based on the following criteria:

Sunny to semi-shady location without the blazing midday sun behind glass
In summer like full sun after an acclimatization phase
Warm and protected from the pouring rain

As long as the temperatures are above 10 degrees Celsius, aloe vera likes to be on the sun-drenched balcony or in the bed. Otherwise, the flower favors a place on the south or west window of the house, at temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius.
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What soil does the plant need?

The exotic plant feels at home in poor, well-drained soil. If the flower adorns the summer garden, a place in the gravel bed or rock garden is particularly welcome. Since aloe vera is not hardy in the latitudes here, the majority of hobby gardeners cultivate the plant in tubs. A suitable substrate should be like this:

Commercially available cactus soil, pricking substrate or standard soil
A mixture of one part each of garden soil, peat growing medium and sand
Optionally a mixture of loam, peat, sand and lava granules

When is flowering time?

After a cool hibernation at 10-13 degrees Celsius, the cylindrical inflorescences, which are up to 40 cm long, come into their own in the spring. Stiffly upright, the yellow, red or orange colored grapes rise above the grey-green leaves. Of course, the flower is only capable of this masterpiece from the age of 3 years at the earliest.

Cut aloe vera properly

In order to harvest the rich leaves or to preserve the harmonious habit of the plant, pruning is possible all year round. With a sharp, disinfected knife, just cut the outer leaves a little and then twist them out. This way you keep the wound as small as possible. Dust the open tissue wound with charcoal powder to seal it. When cutting an aloe vera, pay attention to the reinforced edges of the leaves and wear gloves to protect yourself from injuries.
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Water aloe vera

As a succulent, the plant has adapted to storing water over a longer period of time and in this way to survive periods of drought. In the water supply of this tropical flower, a rethink is therefore required compared to the classic watering of indoor plants. If in doubt, leave the plant drier than giving it a harmfully high dose of water. How to do it right:

Only water the aloe vera when the top 3-4 cm of the substrate has dried
Never pour into the rosette of leaves
The excess water must be able to drain freely
Empty the coaster after 5 minutes at the latest to prevent waterlogging
In the summer garden, only water once or twice a month during prolonged drought

Preferably use collected rainwater or stagnant tap water, as excess lime in the substrate can lead to leaf chlorosis.
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Fertilize aloe vera properly

The nutrient supply is limited to the administration of liquid cactus fertilizer in the period from March to October. Do not apply the preparation to a dry substrate, as in this case the roots may suffer salt burns. If in doubt, first moisten the plant a little with clear water.
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hibernate

If the tropical plant spent the summer under the open sky, it moves to a sheltered house on the windowsill or in the winter garden in autumn. At the latest when the mercury falls below the 10-degree mark, it is time to move. A cool hibernation at 10 to 13 degrees Celsius in a bright location has a beneficial effect on the desired flowering induction. There is no fertilizer from November to February. Watering is limited to occasional watering once or twice a month.
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Grow aloe vera

The aloe vera plant provides for offspring by its own efforts by letting children sprout near the roots. With good care, several daughter plants will thrive on an adult flower. Cut these off with a sharp, disinfected knife from a growth height of 10 to 15 cm. Then fill in seed pots with cactus soil to take care of the tiny plants until they have developed their own root system. A young aloe vera takes up to 3 months for this process, which it spends in a partially shaded, warm location.
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How do I plant correctly?

Early spring is the best time to transplant the aloe vera plant into a larger container. In view of the leisurely growth, this care measure is only necessary every 2-3 years. Use fresh succulent soil With lava granules as a substrate and add drainage above the water drain in the ground. In the first three weeks after transplanting, the plant should not be placed under direct sunlight.

Aloe vera does not flower

Do all care measures around the plant withstand a critical examination and still the flowering does not happen? Then you have a very young aloe vera in front of you with a probability bordering on certainty. In the first 3 to 4 years of life, the flower gathers the necessary strength to produce the impressive blossom. If you keep the professional care, including a 4-week hibernation at 10-13 degrees Celsius, the plant will soon surprise you with a first bloom.

brown leaves

If the leaves of your exotic flower turn brown, this is not due to a lack of care. In fact, this is how the plant reacts to intense sunlight. If you assign the flower to a semi-shady location or if it is protected by a curtain on the south-facing window, the leaves will remain green.
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Yellow leaves

If only the outer leaves turn yellow while the plant grows green inside, this is a completely natural process. The flower pulls in dead leaves as it ages to make room for fresh foliage. If, on the other hand, all leaves turn yellow, check the water balance. Watering too much with calcareous tap water damages the plant permanently and causes yellowing as a classic symptom of leaf chlorosis.
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Can aloe vera be placed outside?

The more sun the desert lily can soak up, the more opulent its unique plant body develops. On the other hand, since the flower cannot withstand temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, the duration of a stay in the open air is limited to the summer months. As soon as the mercury column exceeds 10 degrees in spring, aloe vera moves to the balcony. Before your gem comes under full sun exposure, an 8-day hardening phase should take place in the partially shaded location. Alternatively, place the plant in the poor soil of the rock garden throughout the summer to attract everyone's attention. As long as aloe vera is placed in a protected winter quarters in good time in autumn, there is nothing to be said against an annual guest appearance outdoors.
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trivia

History has attributed the fairytale beauty of the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra, among other things, to the use of the rich juice of the Aleo Vera plant. It is also said that the legendary Queen Nefertiti used a fluid obtained from this flower every day. In general, aloe vera accompanied some of the most famous rulers in human history. During his campaigns, Alexander the Great used the plant's rich aloe gel to heal his warriors' injuries.