Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that people have relied on for centuries. It is easy to care for, because it is a member of the cactus family, but without the spines or prickly needles. They reproduce themselves with offsets or pups. Some people allow the pups to continue growing, but that jeopardizes the health of the mother plant. After a while, there will be so many pups growing that they will choke the mother plant to death.
This article will help you transplant the small pups that form on the mother plant. It is always a good idea to have an aloe vera in every room of the house. You never know when a bug might bite or sting you, or something burns you. What could be handier than cutting off a leaf, peeling away the outside skin and then applying the cool soothing gel on the problem area.
Preparing the Pots
Find a clay or plastic pot that is 1-inch wider than the aloe vera pup. You don’t want a deep pot, because the roots of the aloe vera are shallow.
Cover the drainage holes with a coffee filter, small rocks, or packing peanuts. Pour in some coarse-grained sand, filling the pot 1/3 full. Over the top of the sand, fill the remaining space with well-drained potting soil. Leave a 1/2 inch of space between the soil and the pot’s rim. It is important that you use well-draining soil or a cactus type soil. Aloe vera will easily rot if the soil does not drain well. You can even mix your own cacti soil if you’d rather. Simply combine two parts sand to one part compost. An alternative recipe is using equal amounts of sand, perlite, and compost. No matter which soil you choose, the aloe vera will have no trouble in growing.
Remove the Pups
Examine the aloe vera plant to find the offset pups. They will be around the outside perimeter of the plant. When the pups are 4 to 5-inches high, they usually have an established root system started. Gently brush away the soil exposing the root section. Grasp the pup close to the base. Twist and pull it away from the mother, and out of the soil. These you can put into a pot right away.
If any of the pups are attached to the mother plant, you will need to cut them off with a sharp knife. Do not plant these right away because they need to heal or scab over. Lay the cutting on a table and leave it to dry for two to four days or until it scabs over.
Transplanting
Form a hole in the potting soil with your fingers. Insert the aloe vera, root side down into the soil. Firm the soil around the pup to collapse air pockets and to help hold the plant upright. If the aloe vera plant won’t stay in an upright position, insert a stick behind it for support. Lightly water the soil until moist like a damp sponge. Place the newly potted aloe vera in a bright window, but keep it out of direct sunlight or the leaves will burn. Don’t worry if the plant turns red or if the leaves shrivel. This is a natural part of the process.
Omit watering the soil until the aloe vera starts to grow. You will want to mist the soil to keep it slightly damp. It takes 4 to 6 weeks for the pup to take off and start growing. After that, water and care for the plant as you do the mature aloe vera.
