Aloe Assistance

April 8, 2022 5:43 PM

We have several elderly aloe plants that have become ungovernable and have been slowly ejecting themselves from their large pots for some time: example. We would like to somehow get this situation contained so they can be moved/dealt with more easily. Ideas from the also-experienced as to how to do this without killing otherwise extremely happy plants?

Can we just lop off the spiraling expansion? It’s kind of majestic…can we propagate that part somehow (not that we need any more aloes, the babies never stop).

Thanks for any advice.

posted by charmedimsure to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Yes you can lop it off and the rest will be fine.
Yes you can propagate it, just snip where you want, leave it there for a week or so, then remove leaves from the stem/trunk area until your happy with what's left. Wait another day or two then bury the stem in dry/damp potting mix, and wait another week before you water it.

If you want it to grow less you can give it less light and less water. Or you can use the excess to make aloe drinks and lotions etc.
posted by SaltySalticid at 6:21 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

I'm not so sure about SaltySalicid's comment about light: If they get more light they may stretch their stems less (the gaps between leaves on that main stem may be partly etoliation - 'reaching for the light', if you like - because they want more light than they're getting). It would depend on the variety of aloe, as some are taller and some are more compact.

Still, now you have bonus extra plants to experiment with :)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:52 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

Or you can use the excess to make aloe drinks and lotions etc.

Just check that it's Aloe vera. That's the one with the soothing juice sap. There are many different types of aloe and some might not be safe to eat 🙂

As long as you've figured out the conditions (light, water) that keep this one happy, it will be fine if you cut it back, and the cuttings should propagate easily too.
posted by Zumbador at 10:58 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

It may stretch, but aloes need a lot less light than other common succulent houseplants. But even if it does, it will pack on less biomass than it would with more sun, and this effect is compounded if water is also reduced.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:55 AM on April 9, 2022