The Gardeners Almanac

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Aloe

 

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Week Numbers

Aphids

Compost

Division

Heating

House plants

Mealy Bugs

Scale Insects

Seed sowing

Spider mites

Watering

About to come into flower

About to flower

Variegated leafed succulent

Aloe

Overview

Aloes are semi-tropical succulent plants, and should only be grown outdoors in frost free areas.

It is a stemless or very short stemmed succulent plant that grows to around 600mm–1000mm (24"–39") high.

The serrated leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green with small white teeth.


The pendulous flower with a yellow tubular corolla 20mm–25mm (¾"-1")long is produced in early summer on a spike up to 900mm (36") tall.

They make excellent house or alpine garden plants when they are given sufficient light.


Plant in flower

Close up of the flower head

Flower head

When grown in pots* they require well-drained sandy potting soil,a pre-packaged cacti and succulent mix is ideal.

*Terracotta pots are preferable as they are porous.

The pots should be placed in a bright sunny spot.

Potted plants should be allowed to completely dry out prior to watering.

They are relatively resistant to pests, although spider mites, mealy bugs, scale insects and aphids may affect them.

Propagation:

Size increas by around  50%

Approx 6 months later

Offsetts potted up into 3inch pots

Potted up offsetts

Propagation: is done by removing the offsets (pups) the plants produce at soil level.

It is recommended that these offsets are removed annualy choose whether they are potted on or not.

This allows the parent plant more growing space in its pot and it removes the ideal location for pest infestations to develop.


Winter care:

The plants become dormant during the winter months,meaning that little moisture will be required.

Over-watering at this stage can cause root rot.


Cultivation

Week 12:

Sow seed in pots/trays and maintain a temperature of 21°C (70°F).


Week 14:

Annually pot on plants and offsets as growth dictates in suitable sized pots filled with a purpose made cacti and succulent compost.

Keep the plants in good light at all times.


Week 22:

Remove offsets and leave them to dry for a couple of days, then pot them up in well-drained sandy potting soil.

Place mature plants outdoors in a sunny position during the summer and give them plenty of water in hot weather.

In winter maintain a minimum temperature of 5°C (40°F) and only enough water to keep the plants just moist.