Giving Your Plant More Light
Relocate your indoor aloe vera plant throughout the day to follow the sun. Different areas of your home may experience changes in light as the sun moves. Keep note of the sunniest spots and move your aloe vera plant accordingly to give it at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. For instance, place it on your kitchen windowsill so it gets 3 or 4 hours of morning light. Then, move it to a table in your dining or living room for 3 or 4 more hours of midday and afternoon sunshine. Do this every day during the winter and spring months to increase the chances that your aloe vera plant will bloom. The aloe plant will not bloom in any season other than spring, so don’t try to force it to bloom during the summer, fall, or winter.
Keep your indoor plant in a place that’s 55°F to 80°F (13°C to 27°C). Sudden temperature changes can cause the leaves to turn brown. Keep the plant in an environment with a stable temperature between 55°F and 80°F (13°C and 27°C). Placing the plant in direct sunlight in a room that’s already relatively warm could be too much heat for the plant, so be mindful and check the leaves for signs of burning. Don’t put the plant in a place where its leaves are touching a window. The excess heat or cold coming from the window could burn the leaves and cause browning. If you see any brown sunspots appear on the leaves, move the plant to a cooler room and only give it indirect sunlight for 4 to 5 days until the sunspots go away. Avoid placing the plant next to a heater, A/C unit, fan, television, or any other source of heat or drafts.
Move your aloe vera plant outside if it’s 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C). The easiest way to make your aloe vera plant bloom is to give it more direct sunlight. The ideal temperature for aloe vera plants to bloom is 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C), so if you live in an area with a mild climate, move your plant outside. If it gets colder than 60°F at night where you live, you’ll need to bring your plant inside. Choose a spot that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.
Use an indoor UV lamp on cloudy days if you can. An indoor grow lamp is the perfect solution to make up for cloudy days. Choose a white fluorescent or a red or blue LED grow lamp and position it next to your aloe vera plant. Adjust the head so the light shines directly on the leaves from above. The distance from the bulb to the leaves depends on the size of your plant. For example, if your plant is 10 inches (25 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) wide, position the bulb 10 inches (25 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) away from the top of the plant. A white fluorescent LED lamp will give you a soft, white light that will complement any room, but a red or blue LED lamp might be better able to give your plant the right kind of photosynthetic light it needs. If you notice the leaves start to turn brown after using a grow lamp, decrease the power of the lamp if you can or, decrease the amount of time you use the lamp. If you have 2 plants that are each 6 inches (15 cm) across, place them side by side and adjust the bulb so it’s 12 inches (30 cm) away from the tops of the plants.
Water the plant once a week when the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) of soil is dry. Wait until the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 3 inches (7.6 cm) of soil is dry before watering the plant. It’s important to let it dry out a little between waterings because too much moisture can cause root rot, bruises on the leaves, and attract diseases. If you’re not sure, stick your finger into the top 3 inches (7.6 cm) of soil to feel for moisture. Exposing the plant to more light will make it dry out faster, so stick to a regular schedule so your plant doesn’t get too dry if you forget to do it on the 7th day. If the soil is slightly damp near the tip of your finger, don’t water it for another 1 or 2 days. If it’s sopping wet, leave it alone for 1 week. Slowly pour water onto the soil until you notice water draining from the pot’s drainage hole. If you’ve placed your aloe vera plant outside, bring it inside or cover it when it rains so it doesn’t take in too much water.
Fertilizing Your Aloe Vera Plant
Choose a fertilizer that says either “8-8-8” or “10-10-10” on the label. Use a granular fertilizer intended for foliage plants. Houseplant fertilizers that specify they’re for flowering plants typically have high amounts of salt and phosphorus, which can dry out the roots of your aloe vera plant. The 3 numbers on plant fertilizers correspond to the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Worm castings, manure, or compost are great alternatives to store-bought fertilizer.
Dilute 1/2 of the recommended amount of granular fertilizer in water. A fertilizer that’s too concentrated with nutrients can easily overwhelm your aloe vera plant, so it’s important to use only 1/2 the recommended amount on the package. Use the same amount of water suggested on the package so the fertilizer is half as strong. For instance, if the directions on the package say to mix 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of fertilizer with 128 fluid ounces (3,800 mL), use 1/4 teaspoon (1 to 1.3 g) instead.
Fertilize your aloe vera plant when the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) of soil is dry. Stick your finger 2 inches (5.1 cm) into the soil to feel if it’s dry. If it is, pour enough of the solution onto the soil until you see water draining from the base of the pot. If the soil is damp, wait 1 or 2 days before testing the soil again. Do this once a month in the early spring and midsummer (e.g., March, April, June, and July).
Propagating the Pups
Identify the babies, or pups, of the aloe vera plant. The pups grow alongside the main plant and typically form as a result of the main root system running out of room in the pot. They look like miniature aloe vera plants that are only 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall. Removing the pups will allow the mother plant to focus its energy on growing flowers. Don’t toss the pups because they can be transferred into smaller containers—that means more aloe plants for you! If you see some pups that are just starting to sprout, you can remove those too. Just know that these premature pups may not survive being put in a new pot.
Remove the entire plant from the pot. Run a dull knife or garden shovel around the edge of the pot (just like loosening a cake from a cake pan) to make it easier to remove the plant. Tilt the pot slightly to the side and grasp the base (or the sturdiest part) of the plant with your hand. Wiggle it out of the pot and place it upright onto a work surface. The idea is the pull the plant out of the pot intact. If you plan to replace it into the same pot, dump out the old potting soil. You can reuse it, but using fresh potting mix will give the plant more nutrients.
Wedge a hand shovel between the pup and the main plant to separate them. Insert a hand shovel or dull knife into the space between the pup and the mother plant. The pup’s root systems don’t go down as far, so only insert your tool about 4 inches (10 cm) down into the soil. Wiggle the tool around to loosen the soil between the pup and the mother before pulling the pup away from the mother plant. Be careful not to drive the tool into the center of any of the root systems. If you meet resistance, wiggle a knife into the soil between the pup and the mother to loosen the pup’s root system. Repeat this process for each pup that is growing around the mother plant.
Place the mother plant and pups in a cool, dry place for 24 hours. Leave the plant and the pups on a work table or garden bench out of direct sunlight for at least 1 day. This will help heal the plants’ wounds before they’re re-potted. It’s okay to leave them laying out for up to 6 days if you can’t re-pot them after the first 24 hours. After the first 24 hours, you might notice the cut parts on the roots have dried up into calluses. (This is a good thing.)
Fill a large pot 1/3 of the way with potting mix and replace the plant. Pour a layer of potting soil at the base of the large planter (about 1/3 of the way up). Place the mother plant back into the pot and add more soil, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of room at the top. Use potting soil specifically made for succulents to ensure the soil stays aerated. Pat down the top of the soil to hold the plant in place. The ideal succulent potting mix has ingredients like perlite, lava rock, and coarse sand. Don’t reuse the old soil in the pot. It won’t harm the mother plant, but it’s not as good as using fresh potting soil if you want your mother plant to bloom.
Wait 3 days before you water the mother plant. Repotting can be hard on a plant, so give it some time to adjust to the new soil before you water it. After 3 days, water it as you normally would, pouring enough water onto the soil until you see it draining out of the pot. While it’s not necessary, keeping the plant out of direct sunlight for the first 3 days may help it adjust faster.
Fill several small pots (1 for each pup) 3/4 full with potting soil. Each pup needs its own container to develop strong root systems. Fill each small container 3/4 of the way full with the same succulent-specific potting mix that you used for the mother plant. If you have too many pups and not enough pots, feel free to plant 3 or 4 pups together in a larger pot. Make sure each pup has at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) to 4 inches (10 cm) of space around it. Note that you’ll eventually have to transfer them into their own larger pots if you want them to keep growing.
Place each pup into their separate containers and add soil to cover the roots. Place each pup on top of the potting mix and add more soil until the root system is covered. Pat down the soil around the pup to hold it in place. Water each pup and then let them dry out for 3 weeks. Waiting 3 weeks to water the pups will force their new roots to grow in search of water. After the initial 3 weeks, water them once a week and follow basic care instructions so they can grow up to be mature, flowering aloe vera plants just like their mother!
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