Aloe Vera Care Guide
Aloe Vera are an excellent low maintenance addition to any plant keepers collection. Aloe Vera (Scientific name Aloe barbadensis miller) is a type of succulent. Aloe Vera is a wonderful house plant and the sap from their leaves can be use topically to relieve pain from scrapes and burns. Aloe Vera could be the perfect house plant for you!
Being a succulent Aloe Vera shares care needs with many other plants like Jade. When potting an Aloe Vera we recommend selecting a terracotta pot because of the porous nature of terracotta the plant will dry out faster, you can also select ceramic or plastic but these will not drain out as well. It is important to select a fast draining soil specifically designed for cacti and succulents, a good mix should contain perlite, lava rock, chunks of bark, or all three.
Aloe Vera should be keep in bright, indirect sunlight (They can be kept in direct sunlight but you will need to water them much more often or their fleshy leaves may turn yellow and fall off) We recommend finding a spot in a bright room that is accessible so you can take advantage of the medicinal properties of this wonderful house plant. A room with a western or southern window is ideal, keeping your aloe in low light will cause it to get leggy.
Watering your Aloe Vera can be tricky but I will cover the basics and I recommend using a soil moisture meter for more accurate care. Water your aloe deeply but infrequently, meaning that when you water your plant should be throughly moist and then give it time to dry out before your next watering. For best results using your soil moisture meter allow the top 2 inches of soil to full dry before watering again. In our experience this means water your aloe every 2-3 weeks during the spring and summer and even less in the winter months (The general rule is to double the time between watering for the fall and winter, meaning that if you water every 2 weeks in the spring and summer water every 4 weeks in the fall and winter.) Allow your plant to drink up any water that runs through the soil for about 10-15 minutes before dumping out the excess water, do not let your aloe sit in water for prolonged periods.
Fertilize your allow very sparingly (no more than once a month)and only in the spring and summer, use a balanced house plant formula at half strength for best results.
There are many types of aloe available in all shapes and sizes with the same relative care as I’ve described. Some of our favorites are Aloe Aristata, Aloe Cameronii, Aloe Aculeata, and Aloe Crosby’s Prolific.
Keep in mind that while the sap of aloe vera can be used topically it should never be ingested as this can cause irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea. They are toxic to cats, dogs, and children, make sure to keep this plant out of reach. You can spray their leaves with a combinations of lemon juice and vinegar to dissuade curious pets and tots from taking a bite.
