Cloning Aloe Vera Plants

Instructions: Cloning Aloe Vera Plants

     

           Fill a 6-inch planter pot with equal parts of soil and peat moss. If your pot does not have a drainage hole in the bottom, place a one to two inch layer of gravel on the bottom to allow for proper drainage. You may add sand or other gritty material to the pot if desired.

        Aloe Vera plants grow many offshoots from their roots, and these shoots have their own set of roots. Retrieve as many four to five inch long shoots as desired. Retain as much of each shoot's roots as possible. Let the shoots sit in a dry, well-ventilated area for a few days before planting. The shoots will be ready to plant when the roots are dry and have calluses.

        Place the plant or shoot in the planter's pot, completely covering the roots with soil. Press the soil around the plant with your fingers to make it firm and well packed.

          Water the plant enough that the moisture can reach the roots. Add fertilizer if desired. Aloe Vera plants store a lot of water in their leaves, so they need only be watered once or twice each week, when the soil in the pot is dry. Ensure that proper drainage is occurring.

       Place the plant in indirect but bright sunlight in a room that is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the plant has trouble remaining upright, prop it up; half of a Styrofoam cup works well for this purpose.

        When the plant begins to outgrow the planter pot, replant it in a larger one. The new pot should be wider, not deeper, than the original one, as aloe Vera roots grow out rather than down.