The bactericidal and healing properties of aloe have long been known. This plant is widely used in cosmetology and medicine, and therefore many housewives, wanting to always have a real “healer” on hand, prefer to grow aloe at home. Despite the fact that the plant is unpretentious, you should still know some features of its content. So, how to care for aloe correctly?
Light
The plant loves bright direct light, so it is best to place the flower pot near windows facing east or south. In order for aloe not to suffer from a lack of light during the cold season, artificial lighting should be created during this period, using fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps for this purpose. With the advent of spring, it is useful to accustom the "home healer" to the sun's rays, but it is important to do this gradually, as otherwise there is a high probability of getting burns.
Irrigation
For aloe, abundant watering is destructive, in which water stagnation forms in the pan. This is due to the fact that the roots of the plant are very delicate, and therefore prone todecay. How to care for aloe correctly in terms of providing it with the necessary moisture? So, it is best to water it by immersing the flower pot in water for 7-10 minutes. At the same time, it is important to ensure that there is no accumulation of water in the rosette of leaves.
It is known that the leaves of the plant have the ability to store a fairly large amount of moisture. However, aloe does not like waterlogging, this is especially true for the winter period. So, in summer, the plant must be watered abundantly, once a week, while in winter one watering per month will be quite enough. Allow the substrate to dry slightly between waterings.
Humidity and temperature
Aloe is a houseplant, for the maintenance of which air humidity indicators do not play a special role, since all representatives of this family calmly tolerate both dry and humid air. In the warm season, room temperature is optimal for aloe, while in winter the plant simply needs a temperature regime of 12-14 ° C. If it is not observed, aloe will not be able to enter a dormant period.
Substrate and transplant
Replant a plant only if necessary, when its roots have grown so much that they no longer fit in a pot. Transplanting is best done in the spring. This is due to the fact that just during this period, aloe is filled with vital juices, and the chances of plant rooting increase.
It is very important to remember that in free conditions, aloe, mainly,grew on dry clay-sandy soil. For this reason, it is not recommended to transplant the plant into saturated black soil. Not suitable for planting and heavy clay soil. If you need to grow aloe, how to plant this plant correctly? Experienced flower growers recommend purchasing soil specifically designed for growing succulents.
If desired, you can make the substrate yourself. To do this, you need turf land (2 parts), leafy soil, sand and humus (1 part each), to which charcoal and finely crushed brick should be added. As a rule, transplantation of adult plants is carried out 1 time in 3 years, while young specimens should be transplanted annually.
Reproduction
Methods of propagation of aloe, the photo of which adorns the pages of books about medicinal plants, are different. The plant can be propagated by cuttings, seeds, whole leaves and basal layering. Cuttings can be carried out almost all year round, but it is still better to do it in summer or spring. When aloe leaves are just beginning the process of rosette formation, it is necessary to separate the cuttings or side shoots from the plant. Sticky juice will drain from them, and therefore you should let them dry well first, and then plant them.
Fertilizers
It is recommended to feed with aloe. The plant should be fed during the period of active growth, in the spring, once every 2 weeks. Of the variety of existing fertilizers for indoorplants you need to opt for those that are intended for succulents and cacti. Peat and various fertilizers made on its basis should not be placed in the soil with aloe. It is useful to saturate the earth with nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizers.
Other recommendations
If you do not know how to care for aloe and do it wrong, then first of all it will affect the appearance of the leaves, and therefore this part of the plant must be given increased attention.
So, aloe leaves should grow up from the base of the plant. If the leaves lean down or grow to the side, then most likely the aloe is lacking sunlight. If the leaves curl or become thin, the plant is probably not getting enough water and is using its own sap to maintain moisture.
If the leaves of the plant have turned brown, then aloe, apparently, receives an excess of sunlight. In this case, it is necessary to move the pot with the plant to another place where the sun's rays are not so aggressive.
If aloe grows slowly, then it may be that the soil or water has an excess of alkali. It is necessary in such a situation to abandon the use of organic fertilizers.
Aloe pests
How to care for aloe to protect the plant from damage by various pests? To do this, you should regularly inspect the plant and, if suspicious signs are detected, urgent action should be taken. In this case, the correct diagnosis is of great importance. Aloe can be affected by pests such as:
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how to plant aloe Shield. She sucks aloe juice and promotes the development of fungal diseases and mold. In order to fight the stems of the plant must be wiped with a solution of vinegar. And to destroy the larvae of the scale insects, it is required to carry out the treatment with insecticidal preparations, while choosing an insecticide with the widest possible spectrum of action.
- Nematodes. When they are found, the affected roots of the plant should be cut out, after which the aloe is rooted again. Soil irrigation is also used using preparations such as Vidat and Tekta.
- Spider mite. Spraying the plant with solutions of garlic tincture and alcohol, cold infusion of soap or tobacco will help get rid of this pest. There are also special chemicals aimed at getting rid of spider mites: Fitoverm, Neoron, Rogor.
Knowing how to care for aloe, you can always have a real "home doctor" at hand, the beneficial properties of which make the plant indispensable in the treatment of many ailments.
