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Aloe Plant


Nita

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I have a aloe plant I got from an old house my daughter moved into. It looked kind of dormant,  but still living.  It needs transplanted, and separated.  How do I do it?  Do I just stick it into potting soil, or do I have to root it?  Some of it has separated, but it is still living.  Thanks.

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Repot it into a heavy unglazed clay pot as they tend to be a little top heavy.  You also want to use a pot that might seem a little small because too much soil mass will hold a lot of water around their roots and they don't like wet feet.  They prefer to suck up some water and then dry out.

 

Now is a good time to divide it up too, as it probably has offshoots around the base of the parent plant.

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Aloes do go semi-dormant in the winter so I'd wait maybe another month before messing with it unless it is in dire need.  If you are going to divide it just tease off the offsets with your fingers or cut through the root mass with a sharp knife. You can get rid of any dead roots when you divide.

Aloe plants are generally planted in shallow pots or bowls because they have a broad root system rather than a deep one. The roots of desert plants cover as much area as possible to obtain as much water as they can get. Planting in a deep pot can cause root rot as the excess soil in the bottom will stay wet. A shallower, wider pot allows the roots to spread nearer the surface in the way they do in nature. If you must use a deeper pot fill the bottom with rocks or gravel.

Use a cactus soil or if you use a potting soil add some perlite or sand. For every three cups of potting soil I'd toss in an extra cup of sand or perlite. Good drainage is important.

Water only when the soil is dry and then give it a cup or so of water letting it drain thoroughly.

That said it is danged hard to kill an aloe plant especially if you have the very common one that is not Aloe vera.

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I am good at killing the aloe plants.  I usually end up watering them too much.  Thanks for the potting tips.  The plant actually has separated on it`s own.  But where it separated, the area looks dried out.  As if there is no root.  Can i just put that part in the soil, and maybe it will develop a root?  The main root is still intact.  But I plan on repotting it.  It wont even sit up, because the container is real small.  I am just trying to save it, but with my luck with aloe, I don`t know if it will work.  lol.  Thanks

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Yes, just put it in the soil and it should develop a root eventually. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to shrivel give it a bit more water. You want to make it as easy as possible on it since it will have to develop roots on its stored water supply. Good luck!

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You might even want to try starting it in some sand.  That will give it maximum drainage for the roots.  Try misting the top occasionally so it can still absorb what it needs.  Lots of these plants live in deserts where they live on mists or fog and relatively no rain or ground water.

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Hey, Doc, haven't heard from you in a long time. I dragged the aloe off the shelf where it was living as the flower stem got too tall. It still hasn't opened. I have another plant that I have never seen bloom before throwing up a flower. I'll get a picture.

The orchids are blooming up a storm. It is funny how they bloom in sequence. The Phalaenopsis are blooming now and the Miltonidiums are budding.

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