Aloe is a plant that can be found in almost every house on the windowsill. It is actively used not only for medicinal, but also for cosmetic purposes. Self-transplanting aloe at home is quite easy. This plant is unpretentious and quickly takes root in a new place in a short period of time.
A plant needs a transplant to improve its nutrition. Indeed, over time, the soil in the pot is depleted, the amount of nutrients is minimized. Therefore, the soil cannot provide the plant with the necessary elements for normal development. In addition, it should be remembered that carbon dioxide accumulates in the ground. A transplant helps to saturate the earth with oxygen.
It is important to know how to transplant aloe properly. Having fulfilled all the requirements and recommendations, you will be sure that the plant will quickly take root in a new place.
The relevance of transplantation
Before proceeding with a transplant, make sure that this procedure is necessary. Indeed, the "relocation" of the plant to another container should occur at the right time. All indoor plants are quite difficult to tolerate the change of soil. After all, often at this time the roots are damaged, change their position. Even plants that transplant along with an earthen clod face such problems.
After transplanting, the plant needs a certain time, during which the roots adapt to the soil. Transplantation is stress for any plant, so this procedure is performed only if necessary. Often, after "relocation" to another capacity, indoor plants become sick, and may even die.
When and how to transplant aloe? Be sure to transplant the plant if it has grown greatly. Remember: if the aboveground part of the plant has more weight than the root system with earth and capacity, you must definitely choose a larger capacity. Otherwise, the container will become unstable, it will fall, and the plant may break.
Aloe needs a transplant if water is poorly absorbed into the soil during irrigation. This means that almost the entire volume of the pot is occupied by the root system of the plant. The soil can also become impermeable, for a long period it could be compacted.
If during watering you find that roots have come out through the drainage holes, the plant urgently needs to be transplanted.
It is also necessary to do this if aloe has a lot of children. Young processes interfere with the mother plant, taking away all the nutrients from it.
A transplant will save a weakened or dying plant from death. Often the leaves of a plant begin to blacken. This indicates the beginning of the process of decay in the root system. If the shoots begin to dry out, turn pale and lose their elasticity, this may indicate a lack of nutrients or a significant growth of the roots.
A plant that has suspended its growth also needs a transplant.
The agave purchased at the store also requires this procedure. Indeed, in the containers is not soil, but a special substrate. It is used for growing indoor plants for industrial purposes, but it is not designed for home watering. If the plant is not transplanted, then the substrate is compressed and will not allow water and air to penetrate to the roots.
Everyone knows that aloe is a succulent. These plants are capable of storing large amounts of water. They are difficult to tolerate excessive watering. Therefore, with frequent watering, aloe can acidify the soil. In this case, it is necessary to transplant the plant on time to another soil on time, until the root is affected by the rot.
So, how to transplant aloe properly?
Suitable time
Experienced growers recommend replanting plants in the spring. The rest period at this time ends, intensive growth sets in. Thanks to the accelerated metabolism, aloe can quickly adapt to new growing conditions. In the process of transplantation, damage to the root system is inevitable, and active growth will minimize health risks.
Summer is also a good time of the year for plant transplants. It is undesirable to change the residence of the agave in winter or autumn. During this period, the plant does not have enough heat and light for growth. But if the need to perform this procedure is urgent, a suitable season is not worth the wait.
Many people ask the question: how often does aloe need to be transplanted?
Aloe needs an annual transplant in the early years of life. After 3 years, the plant can be transplanted once every 2 years. After 5 years, transplantation can be carried out once every 3 years.
Succulents are often purchased at flower shops. But how to transplant aloe correctly, no one knows. This procedure must be carried out only a month after the acquisition. Before this period, the plant must be placed separately from other indoor flowers, providing a quarantine zone. During this period, the medicinal plant gets used to the conditions of the apartment, adapts to contact with other plants. Postponing an aloe transplant is not worth it. Without changing the soil, the succulent can get sick and die.
Capacity selection
The choice of containers for aloe should be considered carefully. Succulents grow quite slowly, so the capacity should be slightly wider than the old. It is desirable that the diameter of the new pot be 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.
Pay attention to the location of the roots of the plant. If they bulged out near the surface, the flower lacked the width of the container. If the roots were visible in the drainage hole, this means that there was insufficient pot depth. Depending on this, you need to choose either a wider or deeper capacity.
The depth of the container can also be determined by considering the length of the roots. In a straightened form, they should be at a distance of 1-2 cm from the bottom and walls of the pot.
Container material
Many people believe that aloe transplantation is a simple activity that requires only accuracy. But some knowledge is also needed. So, experienced growers recommend growing this succulent in ceramic containers. In a container made of such material, the root system will not overheat and overheat. The disadvantages of this material include the appearance of unattractive deposits on the walls.
Plastic containers during operation have an attractive appearance. The root system is developing evenly. But in such a flowerpot, the roots quickly rot.
Having bought a new pot in the store, before planting a flower, it must be washed with soap and dried thoroughly. Ceramic containers must be calcined and treated with a solution of superphosphate. Make sure that there are drainage holes in the pot. But how to transplant aloe at home, so that the plant takes root as quickly as possible?
Transplant Features
Have you decided to transplant succulent? It is imperative to stop watering the plants before relocating. As soon as the earth is completely dry, the container must be carefully turned over and a flower removed from there.
If the earth does not crumble from the roots, and the soil has become "stone", you need to put an earthen lump in a basin with water. After the earth gets wet, it is necessary to carefully shake off the soil from the roots with a stick.
Many do not know how to transplant aloe at home correctly. This is not only the process of moving a plant from one container to another. It is necessary to carefully examine the roots of the succulent. Dry, rotten or diseased roots must be removed.
If aloe has young shoots, they must be cut. Place the cut on a young shoot and mother plant to be sprinkled with crushed black activated carbon.
Plant transplant
Aloe transplantation takes place on almost the same principle as other plants. At the bottom of the selected container, it is necessary to lay a layer of expanded clay. You can also use broken small clay shards. The drainage layer should be about 1.5 cm thick.
After pour a small layer of soil. For aloe, it is better to buy soil for succulents in the store. You can also prepare the soil mixture yourself. For this, it is necessary to take in equal proportions humus, river sand and sheet land. To this mixture you need to add 2 parts of turf land. All ingredients mix well.
If a newly purchased plant is transplanted, the soil must be completely replaced. If aloe is transplanted from home soil, it is better to leave part of the earth on the roots of the plant. So the succulent will take root more quickly in the new conditions.
How to transplant aloe into another pot? The plant is planted on an earthen pillow. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is 2 cm below the top layer of the earth. If the location is too high or low, you must adjust the level of the earthen pillow. It is necessary to spread all the roots on it, after filling up the remaining soil.
After transplanting, you need to compact the earth a little and water it abundantly. Excess water is drained from the pan.
After transplanting, you must definitely put the plant in a place protected from direct sunlight. Aloe is not watered for several days.
Aloe propagation by leaves or cuttings
Even beginner growers know how to care for and transplant aloe. But not everyone is aware of how to propagate it. One of the simplest methods of reproduction can be called cuttings. This method is the most popular. A stalk is a young shoot of a plant that most often grows at the base of aloe. They can also be found along the stem or at the top. In this case, the length of the apical stem should be about 10 cm.
The propagation of succulents by cuttings can be carried out at any time. But experts recommend carrying out this procedure in the spring or summer.
The shoot is cut with a sharp knife. The place of cut must be sprinkled with a crushed tablet of black activated carbon. The resulting cuttings are left in a dark place for 3 days to dry.
After the dried-up cuttings must be planted in a pot with soil for succulents or in moistened river sand. The shoot is buried in the ground by 1-2 cm. If they are planted several at once in one box, then the distance between them should be at least 5 cm.
Remember, before rooting, do not lower the sprouts into water, because succulents are plants that often decay with prolonged contact with water. So, how to transplant the process of aloe?
Cuttings root in about 2 weeks. Some sprouts can take root faster, and some need a longer time (up to 1 month). To stimulate rooting, the cuttings can be treated before planting with a root stimulant.
Before the roots appear, the plant needs watering as it dries. The sand should be constantly wet. When the succulent is rooted, the frequency of watering can be reduced, allowing the soil to dry completely.
How to grow aloe from a leaf?
Some gardeners often grow leaf aloe. For this, planting material is cut off at the base. Make sure that no part of the leaf remains on the stem. The mother plant is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.
The cut sheet, like the stalk, is dried in a dark place and planted in soil or moistened sand. The lower part of the leaf should be immersed in the soil for 1-2 cm. After 2 weeks, the first roots may appear, and then the kidneys will develop.
Aloe seed propagation
Now many will be surprised, because not everyone knows that aloe can propagate by seed. They can be purchased at the store. This method allows you to grow exotic rare aloe species on your windowsill.
For seed germination, it is better to use a mixture of coarse river sand and sheet land. The soil is poured evenly into a flat, wide container. To obtain the maximum result, you can build a greenhouse, providing heating of the bottom and covering the container with a film.
Be sure to lay a layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the container. It must first be disinfected by scalding with boiling water. It is also necessary to sterilize the soil by sending it to the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of +80 ... + 90 ° . The soil is poured with a thin layer on a baking sheet and covered with foil. When heated, steam forms, which enhances the sterilization process. The soil is allowed to cool, sieved.
Planting material is laid on the surface of the soil at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other. Using a small stick, the seeds are slightly pressed into the soil. A thin layer of dry river sand is poured on top. The container is covered with a film and left in a well-lit place. The ambient temperature should be above 20 ° C.
The first shoots appear after 10 days. When the first 2 leaves appear, seedlings must be transplanted into separate pots. The land may be the same as when sowing. It is only necessary to use fresh soil mixture.
Conclusion
Now you know how and when it is best to transplant aloe. This plant is actively used for medical and cosmetic purposes. Aloe is a storehouse of useful vitamins and minerals that our grandmothers actively used for various purposes.
Caring for this plant is simple. It is necessary to regularly water and periodically transplant a houseplant.