Aloe Vera: The Peppy Plant with a Purpose

Even if you’ve never owned an Aloe Vera plant, you’re probably aware of (and maybe even made use of) its soothing benefits for sunburn. However, this mild-mannered succulent can provide tropical flair to your home or workplace, too. And unlike some houseplants, Aloe Vera plants are easy to care for and forgiving in instances of both forgetfulness or over-loving.

Aloe Vera plants will happily grow indoors if you give them the right conditions. Keep your plant healthy and happy by following these tips:

Water Sparingly
Like all succulents, Aloe Vera plants store water in their plump leaves so they don’t require frequent watering. Let the soil dry out completely before each watering. In the summer, this may be a few weeks, while in the winter, this could be a couple of months. When you do water your plant, soak it thoroughly until the water drains out and don’t let it sit in water.

Use Well-Draining Soil
Equally important to a proper watering schedule is the type and quality of the soil. Your Aloe Vera will thrive in well-draining soil meant for cacti and succulents. This soil will have perlite or pumice to help aeration and water drainage to avoid root rot. Keep them snuggly in a terra cotta pot where they will grow happily. Repot if their weight is causing them to tip over.

Keep Things Bright
Aloe Vera plants, not surprisingly, love light and especially so when they’re kept as indoor plants. The more sun the better, so your plant will do best near a south or west facing window. Just be sure you don’t keep it too close or the leaves will burn). If your plant isn’t getting enough light, the leaves will begin to droop. It may even go dormant and stop growing.

Propagate By Dividing
Aloe Vera plants are one of the easiest succulents to propagate. But unlike other plants, they cannot be propagated with leaf cuttings. When healthy and growing, they produce new plants on their own. You can propagate from the original plant by separating an offshoot once it has three or more leaves. Then simply place this offshoot into a new pot where it will grow big and strong. To harvest, use a sharp, clean knife to remove an entire leaf from the base of the plant.

Let’s Grow!
Remember, Aloe Vera grown indoors does best with high light and low water. You’ll love watching this low-maintenance grow and most likely enjoy reaping its medicinal benefits, too!

XO,
Micah