How To Replant Aloe Vera Plants

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a succulent whose sap is used to treat cuts and burns. Aloe vera produces thick, flattened leaves that grow in a rosette. These 8- to 10-inch-long leaves are edged with soft spines. The flower spike looms 2 to 3 feet over the leaves, displaying clusters of tubular yellow flowers. Aloe vera plants are commonly grown as indoor plants throughout the United States. This succulent needs replanting each year to renew the soil nutrients or when it outgrows its container. Early spring, before new growth starts, is the best time to replant an aloe vera.

Step 1

Clean the new plant pot with soapy water and then rinse it with 1 part bleach and 9 parts water. The plant pot needs to be 1 or 2 inches larger than the rootball. If you are replanting just to refresh the soil, then replant the aloe vera in the same-sized plant pot.

Step 2

Drill a large drainage hole in the bottom of the plant pot if it does not have any drainage holes. Cut a piece of screen mesh the same size as the bottom of the plant pot. This prevents the potting medium from falling through the bottom.

Step 3

Mix together potting mix, perlite and sand in equal parts or use commercial cactus mix. Aloe vera needs soil that drains quickly so that the roots are not sitting in water. This causes the roots to start to rot.

Step 4

Place 2 inches of soil in the bottom of the plant pot. Remove the aloe vera plant from its container and place it in its new plant pot. Fill the area around the roots with soil.

Step 5

Firm the soil around the aloe vera plant to keep it upright. Pour water into the top of the plant pot, filling the 2 inch space. Wait for the plant pot to drain and move the aloe vera to a sunny window.