Aloe Vera

niksyg

Hello!

I got some baby aloe vera plants from a lovely freecycle-er last year and now don't really know what to do with them!

They have been in a pot in my cold by very light front hallway and have sprouted another baby plant!

I'd like to encourage them to grow bigger and possibly even move outside....any ideas??

Thanks!

conradmum

They're a warm climate plant, so I would keep them as warm as you can. Then they'll probably grow faster. Other than that they should be pretty trouble free. I lived for a while in a sub-tropical country and they grew like weeds there.

niksyg

Thanks!

I didn't mean to leave them in such a cold place, they just sort of got left there after we moved in at the end of September and it didn't seem to do too much harm!

I will move them to a warmer place this minute!

conradmum

niksyg wrote: »

Thanks!

I didn't mean to leave them in such a cold place, they just sort of got left there after we moved in at the end of September and it didn't seem to do too much harm!

I will move them to a warmer place this minute!

Don't worry, they're pretty tough old things as far as I understand. They're the sort of plants to thrive on a bit of neglect in fact.

frivolous_fay

They don't like frost.
Also, slugs love them.
But - they will grow back from just a stump.

Trust me on the above

foxgloves

If your aloe vera has already started having babies, you are unlikely ever to be without one! I was also given a little plantlet, ages ago and have planted up absolutely tons of baby plants from it for family & friends as they are very prolific breeders. They don't like being overwatered but will start turning brown & pathetic-looking if they don't get enough. They don't like frost, but all mine survive winter very well in our very cold conservatory. If they are happy where you have put them, they will probably flower too.

niksyg

thanks for all the advice!

Joly_Roger

I wouldn't worry too much about moving your Aloe Vera to a warmer place, as long as you keep it frost free it will be fine. It's survived so far where you had it.

The cells are so turgid with moisture that any frost will quickly turn them to mush (due to water expanding when frozen), so make sure they don't go down below zero C.

They like lots of light and good drainage as they have adapted to survive in arid areas (hence the moisture retaining leaves). If you want them to grow big you'll need a bigger pot. Be warned though, as the leaves hold so much moisture they can get really heavy when big.

I planted a large one out in a raised bed, it flowered in the summer, it grew and grew, had about 25 babies and by the end of autumn it was incredibly heavy. So heavy I thought that it was still rooted into the soil.

At the moment it is sitting dormant, cold and dry in my potting shed (polycarbonate roof to allow light in). As soon as the last frost has passed I will plant it back into the border

Good luck with your Aloe Vera!

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/Adadinsane/100_0330.jpg

bushie_2

Foxglove,
do the plants still have loads of babies after flowering? Mine is kept indoors and has been in flower for a few weeks now - just keeps growing!!:rotfl:

I also keep having to separate the babies and pass them on, it has 2 at the moment which I've already promised homes but don't want to disturb it whilst flowering. Didn't realise they did until mine started.

katskorner

Don't start actually using the inner leaf gel until they are 4 years old though as they are immature before this.

Yorkshire_Lavender

niksyg wrote: »

Hello!

I got some baby aloe vera plants from a lovely freecycle-er last year and now don't really know what to do with them!

They have been in a pot in my cold by very light front hallway and have sprouted another baby plant!

I'd like to encourage them to grow bigger and possibly even move outside....any ideas??

Thanks!

Pot-on - take the babies off parent plant to produce more individual plants - move outside in Summer but bring indoors in autumn.