Indoor plants have long been a decoration of the house. Green residents often stand on the windowsills. Large representatives of indoor flora take pride of place in pots on the floor. Many lovers of greenery equip a loggia and balconies under greenhouses. But many plants delight us not only with their beauty. Some representatives of indoor flora are used in traditional medicine recipes. So, for example, the aloe vera plant is used to heal wounds or treat viral diseases. There are several ways to grow aloe at home.
A bit of history
How to grow aloe, they knew back in ancient Egypt. Pharaohs believed that this plant retains beauty and youth, prolongs life for many years. When a person was buried, aloe vera was a traditional attribute, as it symbolized a new life. A plant planted along the road and around the pyramid accompanied Pharaoh to the afterlife. Over time, aloe bloomed, which symbolized the end of the path. Flowering aloe said that the deceased is in a good and calm place. Aloe vera was also an integral part of embalming fluid.
In every country, people knew how to grow aloe vera. Each civilization had its own reasons for growing this plant. The healing properties possessed by aloe vera are to blame.
Who will settle on the windowsill?
Before talking about how to grow aloe at home, you need to decide on the type of plant that you want to see at home. You can choose from those that are used for treatment and recovery. It:
- Tree-like, or homely. In the people it is also called the "agave." Grows in the form of a bush, the height of which can reach 4 meters. The leaves are xiphoid in shape, strewn with small needles on the edges. Blooms in red or yellow flowers. This type of aloe is the most common.
- Aloe is awesome. This plant can reach 3 m in height with one central shoot. The leaves are saturated green with red needles. At a certain temperature and humidity, leaves may turn red.
- Aloe Barbados. Succulents has a short stalk. The rosette has solid leaves 60 cm long. In everyday life, this type is called aloe vera.
When you decide on the type of aloe, you can proceed to planting the plant.
Propagation by cuttings
Many residents are interested in how to grow aloe at home. This plant is one of the most convenient in terms of growing. It does not require special care efforts, but grows fast enough. But, despite all this, certain conditions are necessary for the favorable growth of the plant.
Aloe can be propagated by a shank, which is easy to obtain even from a young plant. Such cuttings grow at the base and are very similar to a separate plant. There is no special soil for aloe . But you can buy special land for cacti. If you decide to make the soil mixture yourself, then abandon peat, since the root system of the agave does not like it. You can take two parts of sod land and add coarse sand. Charcoal is very useful for plants. To make the earth more loose, you need to add a little broken crushed brick.
It is better to choose a pot from clay. In such a capacity, the flower will breathe, and excess moisture will not be retained. In the container, pour drainage, then the ground and plant the stalk. Water a little and pick the right place where aloe will grow. A window that faces the south is well suited for him. Aloe loves light and warmth.
Now you know how to grow aloe from the root. But this is only one of the options for propagating a flower.
Propagation by cuttings
Consider how to grow aloe from a shoot without roots. At first glance, this may seem like a time-consuming process. This is actually not the case. For this method of planting, you can use the apex or lateral processes. The landing algorithm is as follows:
Cut off the top about 10 cm long with the sheets. Directly cut the section itself with coal and place the appendix in a cold place for one day. Pour wet sand into the container and add a little soil. Immerse the cuttings in the ground to a depth of 3 cm and monitor the soil moisture. The earth should be constantly moistened until the stalk takes root.
If this is a lateral process, then the planting procedure is slightly different. It is necessary to dry it, wrap it in paper and place in the refrigerator for 4-6 days. After the time has elapsed, land in the previously described manner. If you think about how to grow aloe, it will be the most reliable and practical way.
Leaf propagation
Many people think about how to grow aloe from the leaf. Indeed, very often someone visiting someone tears off a piece of paper, and already at home thinks about how to plant it. Aloe can be propagated by torn leaves. You need to put it in a dark place until the damaged area dries. Next, deepen the leaf into the prepared soil by 3 cm. It is necessary to monitor the moisture of the earth until the leaf takes root.
Reproduction by children
Many people prefer to plant a plant in this way. The young shoots formed at the base of the shoots easily take root in a new place. It is important to follow some recommendations. First of all, it is necessary that the stem is slightly sagging. To do this, it must be placed for a while in a dark place. Then you can deepen it into the ground a few centimeters and establish a support.
Seed propagation
The optimal time for landing is the end of February or the beginning of March. Aloe seeds are best planted in a shallow container. It is advisable to prepare the soil in advance - the soil should be slightly moist. Do not forget about drainage. Seeds should not be deepened deep into the ground. It is enough to lay them on the surface and lightly sprinkle with soil.
It is important to remember regular watering of plants. As soon as the first cuttings appear, it is necessary to spray the plant with a spray. It is good at this time to put young seedlings in a warm place. If 3-4 full leaves begin to peep out of the ground, you can transplant aloe into small pots. A young plant will be able to move to a permanent place of residence only after a year. By that time, it will get strong enough.
Watering and dressing a plant
Agave is considered a convenient and practical plant. But, like any living creature, it requires compliance with special rules of care and maintenance. There are special recommendations that let you know how to properly grow aloe. They relate to watering and the degree of illumination. Plant nutrition is also important. After the young plant has received a new home, it should be watered no more than two to three times a week. After the plant takes root and gets stronger, watering should be reduced. In spring and summer, the agave grows more actively, and it should be watered twice a week. But autumn and winter is a time of rest. The plant falls asleep, therefore it should be watered only when the earth dries well.
Brown or pale spots on the leaves indicate an excess of moisture. In the hot season, the plant should be watered at least once a week. In winter, you can safely forget about a room healer for a couple of weeks.
As for plant nutrition, it is carried out only in the active phase of growth. There are no fertilizers that are designed for aloe, so you can buy fertilizer for cacti and succulents. You can also use ground coffee or tea brewing. Before using improvised means, you should thoroughly dry them.
Care Tips
To grow a beautiful and healthy plant, you must adhere to some recommendations.
Many make the same mistake by dropping a stalk into the water. Aloe refers to succulents, so its leaves contain a lot of moisture. The separated cuttings must be placed in a dry place. The same should be done with a separate leaf. But aloe kids need to immediately plant in the ground. Ordinary soil is quite suitable for a medicinal plant. But it is better to take care of a special soil for succulents. In addition, agave does not tolerate large amounts of clay. Under natural conditions, aloe grows in dry places with loose soil. This can be taken into service. Air baths have beneficial effects on flower growth. In the warm season, it is advisable to take aloe to the balcony or to the courtyard.
Do not also forget about the temperature and humidity level of the air in the room.
Where to place the plant in the house?
Growing aloe at home is not so difficult. Now you need to find a place where the plant will be comfortable. Aloe is unpretentious in leaving, but there are still some nuances. The flower does not tolerate darkness and cold. Based on this, we can conclude that the pot is better to put on the south side of the house. Direct sunlight can also harm the plant. It is advisable to cover the aloe on the windowsill with curtains. On the glazed balcony, the pot will be fine on the floor.
Transfer
The agaric must be transplanted with a certain periodicity, since the root system develops very quickly, and over time it no longer has enough space in the pot. Many are interested in how to grow a large aloe. If you want the flower to increase in growth, you need to change the pot every year for the first five years. After that you can do this only once every two years. The most suitable period for transplanting is spring. At this time, the plant can tolerate any manipulation without damage.
Diseases and Pests
There are certain factors that can reduce efforts to zero. Here are just a few of them:
- Rot of the roots can destroy the plant, so do not get too carried away with watering. Water the plant should only be necessary. If, however, the roots begin to rot and the leaves become soft, you should immediately remove the plant from the ground, remove the affected roots, sprinkle them with ash and transplant into new soil.
- A spider mite is also harmful to aloe. It cobwebs the leaves of the plant. To deal with such a pest you need with the help of garlic tincture. You can also wipe the leaves with a soap solution.
- Scale, appearing on the leaves, can destroy plants. To protect aloe from this parasite, you should wipe the leaves with a cloth soaked in alcohol or vinegar. After all, treat with an insecticide, which can be purchased in special flower shops.
- Mealybug. This disease harms many plants, but its pathogens are afraid of moisture, so you should wash the leaves well and treat them with alcohol or vinegar.
After all the procedures, the room where the plant is located should be ventilated.
The healing properties of aloe
It is not for nothing that I call aloe vera among the people. After all, this plant very often appears in recipes of traditional medicine. The chemical composition of aloe positively affects almost all human organs. Plant components have the following beneficial properties:
- Antifungal and antiviral effect.
- Lower blood sugar and cholesterol.
- Increased body tone.
- Cleansing the body of toxins and toxins.
It is possible and necessary to grow aloe vera at home. After all, the agave does not need painstaking care and constant attention. And there is a lot of benefit from it.