How To Grow Aloe Vera

Learning how to grow aloe vera is very easy, both outdoors and indoors. The aloe vera plant grows faster in the summer, so for better results it is best to grow your plants during the summer months. An aloe vera plant can provide its healing gel all year round, and is hardy and rugged.

To grow aloe vera, you will need:

• An aloe vera stem (about six inches long)
• A clay pot
• Potting soil

1. Before starting, choose a clay pot, ensuring that it is wide and can drain water well. Fill it with some gravel and small rocks in the bottom, and then add the potting soil.
2. Plant the six-inch aloe vera stem in the center of the clay pot. It should be no more than a couple of inches into the soil. Press the soil gently but firmly around the base of the plant, adding additional soil if required.
3. If you are growing aloe vera indoors, keep the pot on a window sill where it can get direct sunlight. If you are growing it outdoors, keep it somewhere where it can get both sunlight and shade, preferably on a porch or veranda.
4. Water and care for the plant in accordance to the weather. If you live in a hot, sunny locale, water the plant more often and keep it in the shade. If you live in a cold climate, water the aloe vera plant less often, and keep it in the sun wherever possible.
5. Every spring, add fertilizer to your plant. Simply coat the soil with a very thin layer of store-bought fertilizer to help your plant thrive.
6. As your aloe vera plant grows, smaller plants will sprout around the big plant, known as pups. Wait until these pups are about three inches tall, after which you can remove them and re-plant them again in their own plots. This allows you to repeat the entire process and grow another aloe vera plant.

Resources:

Aloe Vera Research