Tag: Aloe Plants

They’ll grow fine on their own with no supplemental feeding, but for robust, well-formed aloes with multiple plump leaves and an abundance of offsets, the careful use of fertilizer is called for.

But mind the word careful, because you don’t want to overdo it.

Overfeeding or feeding aloes at the wrong time of year can cause more harm than good, burning the delicate roots or causing leggy, leaning growth, brown spots, or leaving deposits of crusty mineral salts behind in the soil.

In our guide to growing aloe, we cover how to cultivate these succulents as houseplants.

If you’re ready to learn about what, when, and how to feed your aloe, let’s jump into our top tips for strong, healthy plants!

Here’s a peek at what’s ahead:

Aloe Basics

The Aloe genus contains hundreds of species, including popular houseplant and garden varieties such as aloe vera (A. vera syn. A. barbadensis), candelabra (A. arborescens), cape (A. ferox), lace (A. aristate), spiral (A. polyphylla), and many more.

They range in height from a mere four inches to over five feet tall with an equal girth, depending on the type.

They need a full sun location outdoors or bright light indoors, and a porous, well-draining soil such as a commercial cactus or succulent soil mix amended with some grit.

Wet, oversaturated soil will rapidly kill these succulents.

Learn more about cultivating aloe plants outdoors in our guide.

For indoor aloe plants, mix in one part of landscape sand or perlite to commercial potting mix for improved water percolation, or make your own succulent potting soil with our easy recipe.

Outdoors, mix in one part of gritty materials such as crusher dust, landscape sand, pea gravel, or stone chips to improve drainage.

Before you think about fertilization, you’ll need to decide on the type of feed for your aloes. 

There are several fertilizers available for succulents, including commercial products like fast-acting liquids and slow release pellets, plus organic materials such as worm castings.

You can even make your own feed from common kitchen scraps. You’ll find the recipe in a bit, so keep reading!

And regardless of the type you use, the soil should always be watered first so it’s lightly moist.

Moist soil allows for the fast uptake of nutrients and helps prevent chemical scorch to the roots from mineral salts.

Water your aloes about one hour before feeding, discarding any standing water left in catchment saucers before applying fertilizers.

But before we look at specific feeds, it’s important to determine when aloes should be fed and how often.

When and How Often to Feed 

Although they have few nutritional needs, both container plants and garden-grown varieties benefit from light, infrequent feedings for optimal growth and overall robust health – and to help promote blooming.

These succulents should only be fertilized during the growing season, between spring and fall.

This is when they’re metabolically the most active and have greater nutritional needs to sustain growth.

All supplemental feeding should be withheld in fall and winter, when most varieties go dormant.

Feeding while they’re dormant, or overfeeding during the growing season, can create several problems.

Root burn is a familiar problem with succulents and this happens when caustic fertilizer materials, commonly called salts, build up in the soil, scorching the delicate roots. Recovery from root burn is difficult and aloe plants very often die.

Succulent leaves can also suffer damage in the form of yellowing, dark spots, or a droopy appearance.

Begin feeding your aloes in early spring and continue to the end of summer.

Limit water soluble applications to once a month in the growing season and slow release formulas to just two applications, once in early spring and again in early summer.

Also, liquid feeds should always be diluted to half strength to avoid overfeeding.

Types of Feeds

A variety of fertilizers can be used for aloes from commercial products specifically formulated for succulents to homemade dried banana peels!

Let’s have a look at each type.

Water Soluble Formulas

Aloes respond best to water soluble or liquid feeds with an NPK ratio that has a lower amount of nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. Something like 2-4-8 (NPK) is ideal.

However, these typically have higher amounts of nitrogen than phosphorus or potassium.

When using organic materials like compost and worm castings, it’s helpful to add in a teaspoon of dried, powdered banana peels or powdered seaweed to boost phosphorus and potassium levels.

Our guide to composting banana peels has the details on how to dry them into a powdered feed for your plants.

And if you don’t have any seaweed fertilizer on hand, a sheet of sushi nori does the trick.

Nori has good levels of phosphorus and is high in potassium, making it a compatible choice for organic feeds like compost or worm castings.

Crumble the nori sheets into a coarse powder, or add one teaspoon of dried banana peel powder, along with the organic feeds.

Use one teaspoon to one tablespoon for indoor aloe plants, and one to three tablespoons for outdoor specimens, depending on their size.

DIY Natural Ingredient Recipe

If you prefer to use natural fertilizers over commercial products, some common kitchen waste items can provide your plants with everything they need for strong, seasonal growth.

Here’s a slow release recipe I like to use for those garden and houseplants that don’t do well in rich soil or with heavy doses of fertilizer, like cacti and succulents.

Collect your kitchen waste products as they occur, freezing them until you have enough to make a batch – wash the eggshells and chop banana peels before freezing them.

1. Wash the eggshells under running water then set them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Allow them to air dry for 24 to 48 hours then give them a whiz in a blender to reduce the shells to a coarse powder.

Eggshells contain calcium carbonate as well as magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus to help plants develop strong cells and roots.

2. Cut the banana peels into small pieces then lay them in a single layer on a flat tray or baking sheet.

Dry in the sun for a few days or in the oven on the lowest setting for three or four hours, turning them a couple of times until completely dry. 

When dry, give them a whizz in the blender to reduce the dried peels to flakes or a coarse powder. 

Dried banana peels contain good levels of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium for strong roots, healthy flowering and fruiting, and overall plant health.

3. Spread spent coffee grounds onto a tray in a thin layer then allow to air dry for several hours. Swish them around with a spoon occasionally to speed up drying.

Coffee grounds are a rich source of nitrogen which is important for leafy growth and healthy foliage, but succulents don’t need too much.

Use three tablespoons to one cup for garden plants and work it gently into lightly moist soil over the root zone.

After mixing the ingredients, transfer to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in a cool, dark, and dry location.

Your kitchen waste fertilizer can be used on its own or mixed with equal parts of compost or worm castings.

Cultural requirements include bright, indirect sunlight, loose, well-draining soil, and infrequent watering.

Mature heights are one to three feet tall and two to three feet wide. Plants grow outdoors in Zones 9 to 11 and are ideal as houseplants elsewhere.

Most species flower in the winter. Outdoor plants are more likely than indoor ones to display stalks of tubular blossoms, generally in shades of orange, red, or yellow. 

Our comprehensive guide to growing aloe vera has information applicable to growing these succulents as houseplants.

This article discusses propagating aloes from seeds.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Sourcing Seeds

Most species, including A. vera, are “self-incompatible” which means they will only form fertile seed through cross-pollination from another aloe specimen growing nearby.

Birds and insects are the primary pollinators of the tubular flowers, and flowers may be pollinated by other species in the Aloe genus, leading to diverse cross-breeding, and hybrid seed that either can’t replicate the traits of a parent or are sterile.

A few species, including A. reitzii var. reitzii, are self-compatible but unable to self-pollinate, relying on bees for pollination in the wild.

When viable seeds do form, the germination rate of A. vera is zero to 25 percent. Even under laboratory conditions, the maximum success rate is only 70 percent.

Viable A. vera seeds that germinate take three to four years to mature and typically live approximately 12 years.

A more reliable method of propagating aloes is by separating pups, which you can read about in our guide.

If you have an outdoor plant that flowers, pods will follow. When the pods turn brown, split them open and collect the tiny, flattened, papery, blackish seeds.

Sow them as soon as possible for maximum viability, and be prepared for variable results.

Alternatively, you may be able to purchase seeds, though be sure to find them from a reputable vendor.

Prepare the Pots

Before you harvest your seeds, you’ll need starter pots. You can use any four-inch container, either biodegradable or plastic, or a multi-cell starter tray.

Many starter pots and trays come with domed lids which create a mini self-watering greenhouse that increases humidity.

If you select pots or trays without domes, you can create the greenhouse effect by covering them with plastic wrap or zippered plastic bags.

For domes with non-adjustable vent holes, you can place clear tape over them during the initial germination phase.

Plant Nursery Pots with Humidity Domes are made from sturdy, soft plastic that flexes for easy transplanting and are robust enough to reuse.

Nursery Pots with Humidity Domes

They measure four by four by three inches and have clear, vented domes that fit over the tops to trap moisture while promoting airflow.

Plant Nursery Pots with Humidity Domes are available from the Roo Trimmer Store via Amazon.

This seed starter tray with humidity dome is a reusable system. It has six clear plastic, four-inch starter pots with drainage holes in a convenient drip-catching tray.

A moisture-capturing dome ensures effective water delivery and warmth which are crucial for germination.

10-Pack Seed Starter Tray with Humidity Dome

Measurements are approximately 13 by nine by seven inches. Each kit includes 10 plant labels.

The Seed Starter Tray with Humidity Dome is available from Vesici via Amazon.

You’ll also need soil to fill the containers. Use a loose, airy mix of organic and gritty inorganic matter for excellent drainage and appropriate moisture retention.

Commercial cactus and succulent medium is a suitable choice. There are also products explicitly formulated for aloes.

Duspro Recycle Premium Aloe Vera Soil contains coconut coir, perlite, pumice, lime for pH regulation, and pine bark for ample drainage and moisture retention.

Duspro Recycle Premium Aloe Vera Soil

Duspro Recycle Premium Aloe Vera Soil is available via Amazon.

Alternatively you can make your own succulent soil mix by using our recipe.

Another product to consider is a heat mat. Germination is more likely to occur if the soil temperature is kept around 70°F.

Here’s one you may like:

The Vivosun Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Combo Set includes a 20.75 by ten inch waterproof heat mat with an adjustable LED thermostat for temperature regulation.

Place your domed starter tray or individual containers on the mat to provide consistent warmth for germination.

Vivosun Seedling Heat Mat

The Vivosun Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat Combo Set is available from Vivosun via Amazon. Additional sizes are available.

How to Sow

With your supplies on hand, you’re all set to sow your seeds. Fill each pot three-quarters full of growing medium and moisten it thoroughly.

Sprinkle six or seven seeds about an inch apart on the surface of the medium in each pot, pressing them lightly into the soil. Put the humidity domes in place.

Lay the heat mat on a flat surface in bright, indirect sunlight. Plug in and set the thermostat to 70°F. Place the starter tray or individual containers on the heat mat.

Over the coming weeks, the dome will be wet with condensation, and no watering will be required.

Open the dome vent when the first sprouts appear to increase air circulation and inhibit sudden death from damping off.

Remove the dome when most have sprouted to prevent oversaturation. The seedlings will be weak, so avoid jostling them.

After removing the dome, use a moisture meter to maintain even moisture without sogginess. Do not let the growing medium completely dry out.

When each plant has two sets of leaves, thin them to one or two per container.

Fertilize with liquid succulent food diluted to a quarter strength. Continue to use a low-dose of fertilizer, a quarter to half strength, every month or two during the April to September growing season.

When the plants are three to five inches tall, transplant your aloe to individual six-inch diameter containers or out into the garden if you live in a suitable location for growing aloe outdoors.

It’s exciting to find little pups forming on the plant. It means your succulent is happily expanding and you can even take those pups and propagate new plants.

But sometimes those pups don’t develop. Why does this happen? In a word: stress.

I imagine it’s hard to make new plants when you’re not feeling well. Our job as gardeners is to figure out the cause and fix it so your succulent can feel better and start sending out plantlets.

In our guide to growing aloe, we cover how to cultivate these plants indoors, and in this article we’ll discuss seven of the most common reasons your plant isn’t producing pups.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

So I mentioned that stress can cause aloe plants to stop putting out pups. But that’s not the only reason, and “stress” is pretty vague, right?

Let’s get into the specifics:

1. Age

Aloes take a few years to mature, so if this is your first year or two with the plant, it’s probably too young to form pups.

Most aloes start producing offsets when they are around three or four years old.

If your aloe flowers, it’s old enough to produce pups. Similarly, if the plant has reached its mature size for the particular cultivar or species you are growing, it should be able to produce plantlets.

If your plant is old enough to reproduce but you don’t see any pups, then you should start exploring some of the other causes on this list.

2. Disease

Fungal diseases like rust, bacterial rot, and basal stem rot can stress or even kill your plant.

All of these are promoted by overwatering, excessive moisture, or watering on the leaves. You can generally avoid these problems if you only water when the soil dries out completely and apply it at the soil level.

I know it’s tempting to pour water into the center of the rosette. After all, aloes developed their shape, in part, as a way to trap water. But trapping rare moisture in the desert is entirely different from being watered regularly by a loving gardener. Don’t water on the leaves.

Water itself isn’t the only cause, though.

Rust is caused by the fungi Phakopsora pachyfhiza and P. meibomiae. In the case of infection, symptoms include black or brown circular lesions on the leaves.

These lesions may eventually turn hard and black, followed by the leaf dropping from the plant.

It can be controlled by copper or sulfur fungicides, which won’t heal the existing leaves, but will ensure that new growth is healthy.

Finally, bacterial soft rot (Pectobacterium chrysanthemi) causes water-soaked spots that can spread and cause the entire leaf to collapse.

As gas builds up inside the leaf, it might look bloated before collapsing. There is no cure.

All these problems not only have the potential to kill your aloe plant, but will also prevent it from sending out pups.

If you can resolve the problem and return the plant to full health, pup production should resume!

3. Not Enough Sun

Many aloe species grow well indoors, obviously, since so many of us keep them as houseplants.

But it can be challenging to provide them with as much light as they need to thrive and reproduce.

A spot in your home might look perfectly bright to you, but the human eye is extremely adaptable and can adjust to dim conditions. It looks bright to the human eye, but a plant might not agree.

Use a light meter to tell you how much sun your plant is receiving.

Or, check on your plant each hour over the course of a day to see what type of exposure it’s receiving. Try to figure out what type of light intensity the plant is getting through the day.

Ideally, your aloe should receive six hours of direct sunlight per day.

That means you need to choose a spot on a windowsill or near a window and situate it such that sunlight will be hitting the leaves for six hours or more.

If your plant is not receiving this much light, choose a more suitable spot and gradually transition your aloe over the course of a week or so to the new exposure.

If after you slowly transition the plant, it begins to develop red, yellow, or brown splotches where the sun is hitting it directly, you might want to reduce the amount of light a little bit.

Just keep in mind that most aloe species grow in full sun in their native environment. They can handle plenty of sun so long as they are introduced to it gradually.

When the aloe is given the right amount of exposure, it should get to work producing those offsets.

4. Overwatering

Overwatering is a common cause of death in houseplants. We want to keep our plants healthy and happy, but sometimes we end up killing them with kindness.

No judgment, I’ve damaged my fair share of plants before I figured out what I was doing wrong.

When we overwater, it drowns the roots, depriving them of oxygen. Without oxygen, the plant can’t take up nutrients from the soil, and the roots eventually rot.

In the early stages, the aloe might exhibit droopy leaves which can look like lack of water even though the soil is adequately moist, and a lack of flowering, new growth, or pups.

If the aloe continues to receive too much moisture, the roots will rot and the leaves will eventually collapse. Now your previously beautiful succulent is destined for the trash heap.

If you catch it before the top collapses, you can stop watering until the soil completely dries up, giving the roots a chance to dry out and redevelop.

It also helps to remove the plant from its pot and cut off any rotten roots. Then, replant in fresh potting soil or in the ground with some added sand to increase the drainage.

5. Pests

Aloe isn’t particularly prone to pest problems, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for an infestation to appear.

Aphids, spider mites, snout beetles, and scale might feed on the leaves and stems, causing stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and – you guessed it – a lack of pups.

Snout beetles from the Curculionidae family in particular can be a real problem for aloe growing outdoors. The adult beetles hide between the leaves and use their long “snout” to suck sap out of the foliage.

If you see small, dark, round spots on the base of the leaves, it’s possible snout beetles are present.

Hand-pick them in the evening and drop them in soapy water. If you do this every day for a week or two, it’s usually enough to stop an infestation.

If the dark spots appear more than a few inches away from the base of the plant, it’s likely that the beetles are killing the plant from the inside out and you’ll need to dispose of it.

6. Poor Drainage

Poor drainage can cause problems with all kinds of houseplants and in-ground specimens, but it kills a lot of aloe, in particular. Aloe can’t tolerate wet feet at all, not even a little bit.

Even if you believe you’re providing the right amount of water, if your soil is compacted, the potting mix you’re using is too heavy, or the pot lacks holes in the bottom, it can result in poor drainage.

This causes too much moisture to collect around the roots, which results in similar problems as overwatering.

If your plant isn’t producing pups, stick a finger into the soil as deep as you can and feel for any moisture. If you feel moisture, especially if it’s accompanied by a foul smell, dig up the plant and examine the roots.

Examine the soil, as well. Roll it in your hand. If it sticks together, it’s too dense. It should fall right apart.

If you see soft, dark roots, prune them off using a pair of clean scissors or secateurs. Then, figure out what’s causing the poor drainage and fix the problem.

Make sure the pot you are using has drainage holes and that they aren’t clogged, use fresh potting soil, and consider growing in a container or raised bed if your ground soil doesn’t drain adequately.

7. Wrong Pot

If you’re growing your aloe in a container, it’s possible that you’re using the wrong type.

Of course, a pot without drainage holes can lead to root rot, which we discussed earlier in this article. But we’re going to assume that whatever you’re using has drainage holes, right?

You aren’t using one of those decorative containers without drainage holes, are you? If so, then that is likely to be the problem.

Otherwise, an excessively large or small pot can cause problems, too.

A small pot will restrict the plant’s growth to the point where it simply doesn’t have the room to send out offsets. But this is rarely the problem. More often, it’s a container that is too large that is the culprit. This is known as overpotting your plant.

Aloe plants have compact roots, so they won’t fill a massive pot. But that’s not the main problem, as overpotting requires you to add more water to the soil to saturate it all and ensure it reaches the plant’s roots.

Excess soil also takes longer to dry out, resulting in the roots staying wet for much longer than they should, potentially leading to root rot. Noticing a theme, here? Too much water is a serious problem for aloe and even if it doesn’t kill the plant, it’ll prevent the production of pups.

Be sure to choose a container that is the right size for your plant. Ideally, it should only extend a few inches beyond the leaves at most.

Finally, material matters. Plastic, sealed clay, and metal tend to retain moisture. Aloe needs a container that allows for rapid evaporation. Terra cotta, wood, or other unglazed clay is perfect.