Propagate generatively or vegetatively?
Although aloe vera can be propagated by seeds, propagation by cuttings is preferred. Growing from seeds, which you can buy or harvest yourself, takes longer than propagation using cuttings, which any mother plant can produce from around three years of age. All you have to do is cut off the saplings that have arisen, let the interfaces dry and transplant the saplings into their own container.
also read
- The growth of the vigorous aloe vera
- Planting, maintaining and propagating aloe vera
- Aloe vera means real aloe
Propagation by seeds
You can get the seeds in garden centers or by mail order. Sowing can be done all year round. However, because of the better light conditions, it is advisable to sow the seeds in spring. As a light germinator, they need a really bright spot to germinate. A sand-soil mixture or potting soil is suitable as a substrate. The sowing should be kept moderately moist, waterlogging and direct sunlight should be avoided.
Propagation by natural offshoots
The easiest way to multiply is by side shoots. To do this, however, you have to wait until your aloe vera plant sprouts on the trunk. The seedling is carefully separated and repotted in a container filled with moistened succulent substrate. The cut surface should be left to air dry for a few days beforehand.
Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings can be easily obtained from the leaves of the aloe plant. To do this, proceed as follows:
- cut off one of the outer leaves,
- divide the sheet into several pieces,
- let the cut surfaces dry for a few days,
- plant the cuttings,
- keep the soil evenly moist, but not too wet,
- Place the cuttings in a bright, warm place protected from the sun.
Care of the young plants
Until the cuttings have fully developed their root system, they cannot tolerate too much light. To avoid fungus formation, the young plants should not be watered from above. The small plants can initially only store a little water, so sparing watering is advisable, just enough so that the soil does not dry out completely. The waterlogging causes more damage to the succulents than the temporary drought.
Tips & Tricks
Aloe blooms anew every year. This is what distinguishes it from the agave, which dies after flowering.