Care sheet: Aloe Vera

A succulent indoor plant with a thousand virtues, Aloe Vera is as easy to maintain as it is decorative. Renowned for its healing medicinal properties, it is regularly used in cosmetics.
At POUSSE , you will find her under the sweet name of Mina.
Its foliage, just as elegant as it is original, is particularly resistant to heat.

Here's everything you need to know to keep your Aloe Vera healthy.

Who says tenacious does not mean that your Aloe Vera runs no risk. Whether you raise it inside your house in winter, or outside in summer, knowing how to care for it requires some know-how.

Exposure

Ambient but indirect sunlight

watering

Even if your Aloe Vera only requires a little water, it should be watered regularly. Under the risk of seeing her suffer from it, when it is hot it is better not to make her wait too long. Prefer rainwater to tap water, often too hard for it, and temperate to avoid stress which can be significant.

Cultivation errors

To subject it to direct sunlight is to run straight for disaster, your plant risks seeing its foliage yellow and this in a lasting way. Aloe Vera should not be the victim of sudden thermal changes either! We prefer the temperature of an apartment or a house, between 18 and 21° during the year. Ideally you can take her out as needed, but avoid chilly nights from May to September.

Diseases and pests

Its main enemies are parasites called coccidia , or even root lice.

Coccidia are small insects, easily spotted by the white mealy mass that appears on the leaves. Renowned for feeding on their sap, they attach themselves to the foliage of plants.
Consequences: White traces appear on its leaves, they become soft and your Aloe Vera turns yellow. Solution: Asphyxiate them by dabbing the leaves with household alcohol, remove those that have faded to relieve it.

Root lice can be seen at the foot of the roots, which they suck to absorb the sap. The first signs are typically white spots, which stand out all the way to the inner sides of the pot.
Consequences: The roots rot in the long run, the plant itself withers and is very likely to die. Solution : Watering with pesticides, chemical or biological, and transplanting after cleaning the roots.

Special precautions to take

• Yellow leaves: Aloe Vera generally grows in arid areas, excessive watering should be avoided despite the desire that torments you. Take care that the surface of the root ball is very dry between two waterings, while ensuring drainage by the roots. Avoid cache-pots so that the water cannot stagnate, otherwise place clay balls or small pebbles there.
• Brown leaves: Although it is a succulent, it is sensitive to lack of water and can react to certain environmental causes. The disease she suffers from is root rot but don't panic! If your Aloe Vera has a sad face, you can revive it by changing its pot, after having eliminated any soft or black roots.
• Softened leaves : Your Aloe Vera seems flattened to you, its leaves are seriously soft and lean as you wish. If they hang squarely, their lack of consistency is most likely due to a lack of natural light. Make sure that the ambient temperature is above 20°C, without risking heatstroke or sunstroke.

Winter protection

• Potted plants: To protect them from the cold , the best solution is to bring them in as soon as winter comes, don't wait until it's minus ten to do this. If they are suspended find them a bright room, whether it is a garage or a veranda. You will quickly notice a heat increase of at least 10°C.
• Sunshine: Prefer an East or West orientation, depending on their sun needs, placing them near windows so that they can make the most of it. In winter it is less ardent so they do not risk much! However, avoid putting them in contact with a window, if the temperatures outside are very low, the cold could be transmitted to the plant.
• Store them: When you don't have enough space to store them indoors, place them around your rooms, where they will bother you the least. Help yourself with substitute supports, such as a stepladder or on your furniture, it will give you a very original decoration. Avoid proximity to air ducts, they could dry out or at worst wither.
• Outdoors: This succulent can be planted in the ground, but only in regions with a mild climate. However, in winter you can protect it by placing mulch at its base which will act as insulation. The better it will keep its heat on the ground and retain its humidity, which does not exempt you from covering your plant at night with a protective tarpaulin.

How to repot an Aloe Vera?

Planting in a pot: Whether you decide to place an Aloe Vera in a flower pot or a planter, avoid planting in the ground, as in the tropical regions from which they come.

1. The pot size should not be too small! This desert lily, in its optimal conditions, quickly takes all its ease as its growth can be rapid. Give it a space that meets its needs, the bigger its container, the better your Aloe Vera will do, so there's no question of skimping.
2. For soil drainage, instead of pebbles you can use clay shards. On the top edge of the pot, be sure to keep 2 centimeters between it and the potting soil. This is essential to prevent it from running off from wet soil during watering.
3. During planting do not give up a substrate, especially if it is permeable to water and acts on drainage, to be taken directly from the roots. Place clay balls on top of the potting soil, they will limit the humidity stagnating at the base of the pot.

Good to know

The best time for cutting production is after hibernation. From the age of 3 years the plant produces at the root tiny cuttings called daughters. These can be cut with a sharp instrument or gently broken off from the master leaf.

Note: It is in the spring that the flowering of an Aloe Vera takes place, but it is quite problematic in our regions. That is to say that it is rare to see an aloe flower in Paris...

POUSSE, the plant architecture agency that reconnects your spaces to nature.
Contact us: bonjour@pousse.fr