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How To Start An Aloe Plant From Cuttings Or Pups: Aloe Vera Plant Propagation
The aloe plant is one of those houseplants that everyone wants to grow. They are easy to care for, beautiful, and great for adding color to a room. But what do you do if you don’t have enough space to keep it alive? Well, we’re here to help. First, we’ll show you how to propagate your very own aloe vera plant.
You can use cuttings or pups to root your aloe plant. First, you’ll want to find some healthy-looking leaves if you choose cutting propagation. Then, just snip off about 1/4 inch of the stem near the base of the leaf. You’ll notice a little bud where the stem meets the leaf.
This is called the “nub.” Take a sharp knife and slice across the nub. Once you’ve done this, place the leaf into a moistened potting mix and water thoroughly. Keep the soil moist but not wet. After a few days, you’ll see roots begin to form. You can transplant the whole thing into another pot or separate the individual pups. Either way works fine.
If you choose to propagate your aloe plant via the pupal stage, simply collect a bunch of leaves together and gently rub off the outer layer. Make sure to wash the leaves well. Place each leaf onto a paper towel and cover with plastic wrap.
Leave the leaves alone for two weeks. You’ll find tiny white eggs inside when you open up the plastic. These are called “pupae.” Remove the pupae from the leaves and place them into a dampened container. Cover the containers with plastic wrap and let the pupae sit for three weeks. After three weeks, you’ll have baby aloes ready to be planted.
About Aloe Plant Propagation
Aloe vera, commonly known as “the miracle plant,” is one of the best-known medicinal plants around the world. This succulent plant is used for everything from wound healing to skin care. There are many different types of aloes, including the common aloe vera, but the most popular type is the cultivated aloe barbadensis Miller.
Aloe vera is a tropical native plant from Africa and grows wild in areas like South Africa and Kenya. Aloe vera is grown commercially in the United States in Florida and California.
To propagate aloe vera, simply take offshoots, called pups, and place them into soil or sand. These pups develop roots within a few days. When the roots form, the pups are ready to transplant into larger pots. Keep the pups moist during the growing process.
Around the time the plants are three inches tall, they are ready to move outdoors. After planting outside, keep the plants well-watered and fertilized. They will bloom every spring.
How to Propagate Aloe
Propagating aloe is easy. You just take some of the babies from the ground near your aloe plants and stick them into the ground. They’ll grow roots and start sending down leaves again. This method works best for propagating small amounts of aloe, like those used for making juice. If you want to grow lots of aloes, you’ll have to do it another way.
You can also propagate aloe by taking cuttings. You need to remove a stem section from an aloe plant to do this. Cut the stem at a 45-degree angle so that you get two sections. The top part should be about 4 inches long, and the bottom should be about 8 inches long. Next, put the two pieces together and tie them with string. Put the cut end of the stem into a water bowl until it starts to wilt. Let the stem soak for 24 hours. Then, carefully peel away the outer layers of the stem. Be careful not to damage the inner layers. Finally, place the stem into a moistened pot containing potting soil. Water the plant regularly. The new plant may take several months to send down its first set of leaves.
How to Start an Aloe Vera Plant
A succulent plant native to Africa is aloe vera. Its leaves contain high levels of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, making them ideal for treating burns, sunburn, cuts and scrapes, and skin conditions like psoriasis.
To grow your aloe vera, you’ll need a pot about 3 feet tall with drainage holes at the bottom. You’ll also need a soil mix containing pebbles or gravel, perlite, sand, composted manure, and fertilizer. Add water regularly and keep the pot out of direct sunlight.
When the seedlings reach six inches tall, cut them away from the mother plant. The roots should be saved and put in a dampened peat moss or sawdust container. Keep the container moist but not wet.
After four months, transplant the seedlings into larger pots. When they’re ready, move them outdoors in full sun where temperatures don’t drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. When the weather is dry, water deeply and fertilize once—every month or two with liquid seaweed.
Steps for Separating Aloe Pups
Aloe vera plants grow naturally in arid climates like those in southern Africa. They thrive there better than anywhere else because of the high levels of rainfall and sunshine. But even though aloe vera thrives in such conditions, it still requires some care and attention to maintain healthy growth. One of the most common problems associated with aloe vera is the presence of tiny white worms called nematodes. These microscopic creatures feed off the plant’s roots and cause damage to the leaves and stems. If left untreated, these worms can kill the entire plant.
The best way to protect against nematode infestation is to separate aloe pups from their mother plant. This process allows you to keep the mother plant alive while preserving the aloe pups from infection. First, thoroughly wash the mother plant’s roots under running water. Then, carefully pull apart the leaves of the aloe plant. You want to remove the whole leaf; do not just rip the leaves away from the stem. After pulling apart the leaves, examine the area closely. Look for small holes in the leaves, which indicate that the aloe pups have been born.
Next, gently lift the aloe pup from its mother plant. The pup should be attached by only one root. Cut this root free with sharp scissors. Place the pup on a clean surface and cover it with a plastic bag. Leave the bag open so that air can circulate to the pup. Change the bag daily until the pup has developed roots. Once the roots appear, the pup is ready to be planted in a new home.
If you’d instead not separate the aloe pups yourself, you can purchase pre-separated aloe pups from nurseries. However, if you choose to buy pre-separated aloes, ensure they are labeled “aloe vera” and come from reputable sources.
