Step-by-Step: Splitting Aloe Plants for Growth
Do you want to learn how to grow more aloe plants? Well, here’s some cool news: aloe plants often grow big and make new little plants called offsets. And guess what? You can totally separate these baby plants from the parent one to grow a whole new aloe plant! In this guide, you’ll discover when and how to split aloe plants like a pro. So, let’s dive right in and explore the magical world of aloe propagation!
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Contents
When Should Aloe Be Divided?
To ensure minimal damage to the plant, it is important to choose the right time for dividing aloe plants. The best time to divide it is when it’s not in its active growing season, usually during spring and summer. However, don’t fret! You can still split it during those seasons with a little trick. Just start reducing the sunlight it gets for about a week beforehand. This helps slow down its growth and makes splitting safer.
How to Split Aloe Plants
Ready to get your hands dirty? In this section, we’ll explore how to separate aloe plants with ease. Let’s dive into the process of splitting aloe plants—a hands-on approach to separating aloe plants for propagation.
1. Remove Parent Plant
Grab your aloe plant and gently remove it from its pot. Be careful not to harm the roots! Clean the roots by getting rid of any extra dirt, debris, or rocks. You can also prune away any dead or damaged leaves and roots to prevent any infections from spreading.
2. Find a Pup
Inspect your plant closely—little baby aloe plants called pups should be popping up around the parent plant or even growing independently. Look for pups with established roots for easier propagation.
3. Make Divisions
To separate the pup from the parent plant, use a clean and sharp knife or shears. Make sure you sterilize the tools beforehand to avoid spreading diseases. Cut the pup while keeping the roots intact. If you’re not confident with tools, you can try gently pulling the division away with your hands. After separating the pups, leave them in a warm, dark place for a while to form a callus and heal.
4. Plant the Divisions
Now it’s time to pot the divisions. Get a mixture of cactus soil and potting mix and place it in a pot that suits the size of the divisions. Make sure the roots are properly submerged in the soil. Avoid watering immediately, giving the roots time to adjust and grow comfortably. Once they’re settled, you can water regularly and provide bright, indirect sunlight.
Remember, different aloe varieties may grow at varying rates and have diverse appearances.
5. Repot the Parent Plant
Don’t forget about the parent plant! Repot it using fresh soil—a blend of cactus soil and potting soil works well. Choose a slightly bigger container than before to allow the roots space to grow and breathe.
That’s it! With a little care and patience, you’ll soon have a thriving family of aloe plants.
FAQs
Do you have to remove aloe pups?
It is not essential to remove aloe pups from your aloe plant. However, it is certainly a good idea to do this so that you can ensure that there is enough space in the pot or container for the parent plant to grow freely.
If you do not remove the pups, they might end up growing bigger, leading to too much crowding inside the soil. This can then limit the nutrients that reach the plants.
How do you plant an aloe pup without roots?
In case your aloe pup does not yet have any roots, then you will need to dip the cuttings or offsets in a rooting hormone and then plant them in the soil to allow the pup to develop some roots. You can then dampen up the soil and place the pot in a warm place.
Hold off on watering for 1-2 weeks to allow the roots to form properly.
