Aloe Vera

Getting Started with Your Aloe Vera

1. Light: Aloe Vera loves sunlight, from bright indirect light to full sun, and a sunny windowsill is ideal. If you move it into stronger sun, do so gradually, since a sudden jump in intensity can cause the leaves to turn reddish-brown or scorch.
2. Potting and Drainage: Plant it in a fast-draining cactus or succulent mix, or add perlite or coarse sand to regular potting soil. Always use a pot with drainage holes, and terra cotta helps the soil dry out faster.
3. Placement: It grows 12 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide as a slow-growing rosette. Keep it between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and away from cold, drafty windows in winter. Average household humidity suits it, so bathrooms are usually not the best spot.

Care Instructions

1. Watering: Water only when the soil is completely dry, which is often every two to three weeks and even less in winter. Water sparingly and thoroughly, then let it drain. Overwatering is the most common way to kill an aloe, since its leaves store plenty of water.
2. Humidity: Aloe Vera prefers low humidity and thrives in drier conditions. It does not need misting, and damp air combined with wet soil can encourage rot. Average household humidity is perfect for this desert-loving succulent.
3. Fertilizing: Aloe needs very little feeding. If you like, apply a diluted cactus or succulent fertilizer once or twice during spring and summer, and skip it entirely in fall and winter.
4. Pest Monitoring: Check the leaf bases and the underside of the rosette occasionally for mealybugs and scale. Dab them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Fungus gnats point to soil that is staying too wet.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

1. Repotting: Aloe grows slowly, so repot only when the rosette and its pups crowd the pot. Repot in spring into a pot slightly wider than the last, using fresh, dry succulent mix, and wait about a week before watering lightly.
2. Pruning and Cleaning Leaves: Remove dry or damaged outer leaves by cutting them cleanly at the base. Wipe dust from the leaves with a dry, soft cloth. Avoid cutting healthy leaves unless you plan to use the gel.
3. Propagation: Separate the pups that grow around the base of the mother plant. Gently remove a pup with some roots attached, let it dry for a day or two, then pot it in dry succulent mix. Wait about a week before watering lightly.

Additional Tips for Aloe Vera

1. Pet Safety: Aloe Vera is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. The plant contains saponins and anthraquinones that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy in pets. Keep your Aloe Vera on a high shelf or in a room where pets cannot chew on the leaves.
2. Soft or Brown Leaves: Soft, brown, or mushy leaves usually mean overwatering and possible root rot. Let the soil dry completely and check the roots, trimming any that are black or mushy. Thin, curling leaves can mean the plant is too dry.
3. Summer Outdoors: Aloe can spend summer outdoors in a sunny spot, but it must be protected from frost. Bring it back inside before nights drop near freezing, and acclimate it gradually to stronger sun.
4. Using the Gel: The plump leaves contain a cooling gel treasured for soothing minor skin irritations, burns, and dryness. Always consult reliable sources for proper use, test a small area first, and avoid the yellow latex just under the leaf skin.