In principle, propagating aloe vera by cuttings is very easy if you follow the right instructions. Step by step, you can grow several daughter plants from a mother plant, which also fulfill practical functions and can be used in many ways. But what is important and what criteria do you have to pay attention to?
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Using offshoots: instructions
The easiest way to propagate aloe vera is to use offshoots. These daughter plants form on their own when the mother plant is at least three years old. They grow out of the soil right next to the mother plant and are very easy to separate from it.
The right time for this has come when the offshoots have reached a height of about five centimeters and the aloe needs to be repotted. The following guide shows how to do this:
- The aloe is lifted out of the pot and the root ball is freed from the soil. It makes sense to wear gloves so that the sharp edges and sometimes jagged leaves do not cause injuries.
- With a sharp knife or scissors, the offshoots are cut off with as many roots as possible.
- The small young plants are placed in fresh substrate just like the mother plant. A mixture of houseplant soil and sand or special cactus and succulent soil are suitable.
- The substrate is then slightly moistened, but should not be dripping wet. It is ideal to only water enough so that the soil does not dry out completely. The daughter plants are then cared for in the same way as the mother plant.
Care of the offshoots
Care is also very easy with the offshoots of aloe vera. You only have to pay attention to a few points:
- Water sparingly: Since some of the offshoots were still taken care of by the mother plant, they should be watered sparingly at first. This stimulates root growth. Even after that, it makes sense to water rarely and little. You should only water so much that the substrate does not dry out completely. Watering every few days may be necessary in summer. In winter, watering every few weeks is usually sufficient. The fact that watering is necessary is shown, among other things, by the fact that the leaves of the aloe become soft and wrinkled.
- Fertilizing: The frugal aloe only has to be fertilized during the summer and this is only necessary if there was no repotting or a change of soil in spring. In the case of offshoots that have been planted in fresh soil, fertilization is only necessary from the second year. Suitable fertilizers are special aloe or succulent fertilizer. However, universal fertilizers can also be used.
- Repotting: An annual change of soil saves on the one hand fertilizing and on the other hand ensures that the risk of diseases and pests decreases.
- Blending: A blending of the young plants is usually not necessary. Damage to the leaves is an exception. If a leaf breaks off, a clean cut surface should be produced. This reduces the risk of invading germs and parasites.
alternatives
To propagate aloe, one can use daughter plants, cuttings and seeds. The quickest and easiest way is to propagate via children or daughter plants that have already developed roots. Pulling cuttings from leaves is also very easy and relatively quick. However, the risk of rotting is higher here. Therefore, on the one hand, you have to choose the right time and, on the other hand, you have to follow the right procedure.
Growing from seeds takes a comparatively long time and requires a lot of finesse. Therefore, it is not particularly suitable for beginners in plant care.
