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.
- Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a succulent whose sap is used to treat cuts and burns.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
Tip
Water your aloe vera plant during the summer when it puts on most of its yearly growth. Soak the soil, but allow the soil to dry out between waterings. When the weather turns cooler, water once a month.
Warning
Aloe vera plants do not tolerate freezing temperatures. During the warm weather of summer, the aloe vera can move to a sunny location outside. Remember to move it back inside before the fall frosts start.
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References
Tips
- Water your aloe vera plant during the summer when it puts on most of its yearly growth. Soak the soil, but allow the soil to dry out between waterings. When the weather turns cooler, water once a month.
Warnings
- Aloe vera plants do not tolerate freezing temperatures. During the warm weather of summer, the aloe vera can move to a sunny location outside. Remember to move it back inside before the fall frosts start.
Writer Bio
Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the public school system and her writing has appeared in the "Willapa Harbor Herald" and the "Rogue College Byline." She has an Associate of Arts from Rogue Community College with a certificate in computer information systems.
