Aloe care at home: photo of a flower, proper watering, keeping it cold in winter, what does a houseplant like, what plant to plant in, where to put it?

Aloe is a decorative indoor plant with fleshy thick leaves, a kind of succulents. This indoor flower is native to Africa. For many years, this representative of the flora is grown in almost every house.

Often, aloe is bred because of its medicinal properties and years of proven benefits for the treatment of all sorts of ailments. But in order to grow such a plant, you need to understand the features of caring for it.

Aloe leaves are alternate, up to 40 centimeters long, with hard cartilaginous teeth along the edges. They are distinguished by the presence of very fleshy and juicy pulp.

How to care for a houseplant?

For aloe to grow and develop, you need to study its features, as well as know what it loves and what is absolutely not recommended for it.

Lighting

Aloe is demanding for light. It is best if the plant is constantly in the sun. During the cold period of the year, you need to periodically rearrange the plant in more illuminated places, and if there is not enough sunlight, then lighten the plant with artificial light.

In the warm season, it is recommended to take the plant to a balcony or even a street so that it bathes in direct sunlight.

Watering

The flower is not picky in the frequency and abundance of watering. This plant is better not to water once again than to saturate its soil with moisture. In the colder months, scarlet should be watered as the soil dries up, watering should be moderate, and watering dispersing water is best.

In warm time, you can water aloe every day, but the procedure itself should be carried out through a pallet. Pour water into the pan of the plant pot and leave for 20-30 minutes, and then drain the rest of the water. Thus, the soil will not take moisture, more than it needs.

You will find more information on the rules for watering aloe in this material.

Where to put in the house?

Asking the question “Where to put aloe?”, You need to choose the windows of the southern or eastern side. There the plant will not freeze and will receive a lot of light. If it is not possible to place the pot with the plant on a warm window, then you can choose any available option, but then proper lighting and temperature conditions must be maintained for normal flower growth and development.

Temperature

The ancestors of the plant come from Africa. Because of this, the plant is biased towards sunlight and heat. Aloe, which we used to grow at home, feels good in a room temperature familiar to people, but during periods of a sharp decrease in air temperature, it can begin to hurt or completely disappear. It is not recommended to keep the flower at a temperature below +15^ABOUTFROM.

What soil is needed?

Most gardeners and botanists recommend the following slightly acidic soil composition for aloe planting:

turf land;
sheet earth;
humus;
coarse river sand.

About how to choose the right soil for growing aloe, we described in detail in this article.

Broken stones are suitable as drainage. Directly, before planting, you need to process the roots of aloe with charcoal.

In which pot to plant?

For planting aloe, the size of the pot must be determined based on the size of its root part. Before planting or transplanting, you need to evaluate the width and length of the roots.

You need to choose a pot so that the roots of the plant can fit freely in the soil. Aloe grows rapidly, and the roots grow rapidly, so the dishes for growing a flower should be changed often.

Top dressing

Like any houseplant, aloe needs to be fed. When fertilizing, you need to take into account the moments:

only healthy plants can be fertilized, diseased or damaged need to be treated;
after transplantation, fertilize no earlier than 3 months;
it is possible to fertilize only after watering the soil;
to feed during the period of activation of plant growth.

For aloe, you can apply the means: Strength of Life, Bon Forte, Agricola.

Fertilizing agents should be applied exclusively in liquid form to moistened soil or through a pallet.

How, with what and how often you need to fertilize aloe, you will learn from this article.

Pruning

Pruning for roots is required when planting or transplanting an adult plant. It is necessary to cut the length of the roots of the plant, so that in the future, aloe can build up a strong root system in new soil and new capacity.

Pruning leaves allows you to control the width of the plant. So that the plant begins to grow up or does not rest against the walls of the pot, it is worth removing the side leaves-shoots.

You can get acquainted with the step-by-step algorithm of actions when pruning aloe, as well as with the nuances of caring for the plant after the procedure here.

Transfer

A plant needs a transplant when it stops growing in an old tank, and also if it begins to deteriorate externally. Removing aloe from the old pot, you can see the root part closely woven into a lump of earth, which means that the vessel for the flower is cramped and the roots have nowhere to grow.

Transplantation is important due to the fact that the soil composition loses its useful substances over time, its structure ceases to be saturated with air, and a whitish coating that is harmful to plants forms on the soil surface.

You can learn step-by-step instructions for aloe transplantation, as well as the intricacies of the procedure here.

Humidity

The plant does not like excess moisture in the soil, but also does not tolerate the dry air of the room. If it is not possible to place the plant in a room where the air is constantly moistened, then once a week it is necessary to spray aloe and the space in the room with it, this should be done with clean water from a fine spray.

Caring for a plant stem

Stems and leaves of aloe require additional care. Leaves should be periodically cleaned from dust with a damp cloth. In the dry period and in dry rooms, it is necessary to moisten the air around the plant, as well as spray aloe 1 time per week.

Does he like cold?

To make indoor plants easier to tolerate winter, it is worth:

insulate the windows on which the flowers are placed in order to avoid drafts;
if necessary, put a foam sheet or other warm elevation on the windowsill so that the flower does not get supercooling through the lower ball of the soil, as this can lead to decay of the roots;
if the plant is sick, carry out all therapeutic and preventive measures;
carry out all the necessary methods to combat the appearance of pests;
trim parts of the plant, if necessary.

Winter flower conditions

In winter, you must adhere to a number of rules in the care:

limit the plant in watering and implement it only then, when the substrate dries completely;
water for irrigation should not be colder than room temperature, but better warmer;
avoid direct drafts on the plant;
the need for additional illumination of the plant due to lack of sunlight;
Do not place the flower on the northern windows.

Bloom

Aloe blooms for a long time. Peduncle appears in the axils of the upper leaves. The flowers are cylindrical, bell-shaped, on long pedicels.

Most often, aloe blooms in the winter, but there are exceptions. If the plant does not bloom, then pruning is required.

Read about the features of aloe flowering here.

Photo

The photo shows an aloe flower, care for which at home is within the power of any even a beginner grower.

Diseases and Pests

The five most common aloe problems are:

Root rot - if several leaves were found on the plant that were dark or soft, then you need to immediately dig up the flower and examine its roots, they could rot. This usually happens due to frequent or excessive watering.
If several healthy roots were found, then all damaged ones need to be cut and transplanted into a new soil. And when there are no healthy roots at all, then you need to completely remove the diseased roots and root the plant again.
Dry rot - This disease is completely opposite to root rot. The leaves and root system of the plant completely dry out during illness. You can save the plant in rare cases, as the disease progresses very quickly.
Shield - This is a pest that is located on the back of the leaves of the plant in the form of wax shields, 2 millimeters long. The pest forms large columns on the stems of plants. Scales of scutellum yellowish or grayish-white.
Affected areas of the pest acquire a reddish-brown hue; later, damaged areas of the plant die off. This pest is very difficult to remove if it has already formed its columns. The sooner the parasite is identified, the easier it is to defeat it.
It is enough to wipe the leaves of scarlet 1 time per day with a cloth soaked in acetic solution. There are no chemical or insecticidal agents to control the scale.
Mealybug - this is the largest and most noticeable pest, it can be removed from the plant mechanically using a brush or tweezers, and treat the affected areas with alcohol tincture of garlic (70% alcohol). At this time, you need to shade the plant for a couple of days. In the most difficult cases, the use of insecticides will be required.
Spider mite - the pest is very small, it is difficult to detect. He does not like cold water, so in summer plants can and should be sprayed with cold tobacco infusion or soapy water. Garlic tincture is very effective against a tick. Of the chemicals, the use of acaricides will be required.

Conclusion

In fact, the flower is very easy to care for, but still requires a little attention. Knowing all the intricacies of caring for aloe, even a beginner grower can easily grow such a useful plant at home.