Aloe vera: home care, in the open ground, a photo of the plant, and also why the flower dries in the winter, which pot is needed for transplanting and when can I do it?

Aloe vera is one of the most popular home plants, which not only looks beautiful, but also has medicinal properties (for medicinal properties and contraindications for the use of Aloe vera, read here). The plant has thick and juicy leaves that can retain moisture even in the dry season. The flower is equated to useful domestic plants, which, due to the presence of volatile production, disinfect indoor air. In the article, read how to care at home, see a photo of the flower.

How to care for a flower at home?

Any, even the most novice florist, will be able to contain and grow aloe vera, for this it is necessary to listen to some conditions that the flower prefers:

Lighting: Aloe vera came to us from the arid climate of Africa, and therefore needs enough light when grown at home. The plant needs bright light, however, direct sunlight can still damage the leaves. With an excess of light, the leaves begin to become covered with orange spots. Place for a plant in the apartment should be selected on the sunny side.
Watering: The plant by its nature does not need constant watering. Fleshy leaves can retain moisture for a long time. Excess in watering always leads to rotting of the roots and the plant itself, so you should not water it more often than twice a month.
Temperature: In summer, aloe vera feels good at room temperature, and in winter, when the plant is at rest, it should be kept in a cool place with a temperature of about 14 degrees Celsius.
The soil: The soil for keeping the flower can be bought at the store, or you can prepare the mixture yourself, consisting of river sand, turf and leaf soil in equal proportions. This composition does not allow the soil to be compacted, which contributes to good drainage.
Pot: What kind of pot do you need? The capacity for growing a flower should be taken as spacious as possible, based on its size. The root system of aloe vera is very dense, respectively, it should not be crowded. The bottom of the pot must necessarily have a hole for waste moisture.
Fertilizers: For fertilizer, organic substances that have been specially developed for aloe vera should be used. Feeding is recommended once a year in the spring.
Pruning: Pruning is done to improve the health, growth, and appearance of aloe vera. Aloe needs a more delicate pruning due to its thick and juicy leaves.The extra processes and damaged leaves should be removed; during pruning, without fail, a sharp knife or scissors should be used for an even cut. It is recommended to sprinkle the place of cut with charcoal.
Transfer: How to transplant? Like all indoor plants, aloe vera needs a periodic transplant. Young individuals need a more frequent transplant, about once a year, and adults less often - once every 2-3 years, after the transplant, water abundantly, and do not produce subsequent watering for three weeks. When can I transplant? The transplant should be carried out during the growing season: in summer or spring.

Photo

You will see a photo of the plant.

Outdoor cultivation

We are all used to seeing aloe vera in pots on the windowsill, but few people know that the plant can take root well in the garden in the open ground.

By planting aloe on the street, you can forget about periodic transplanting and watering, and pruning aloe is recommended to do the same as at home (for more information about growing and propagating plants at home, see here).

For planting on the street, the area on which aloe will grow should be cleaned of weeds and grass blades. The plant that came to us from Africa will not understand our soil, therefore, the hole must be filled with special prepared soil mixed with sand.

The roots are dried before transplanting for three days, and after that, the plant is planted in prepared soil on the street. To prevent overgrowth of weeds, you need to cover the area of aloe with stones. It is recommended to carry out bait with organic substances.that are used for homemade aloe vera.

Dried or rotten leaves can be used as a medicine for skin and hair care. Simply cut off the leaves in a refrigerator for a period of 10 days, and then squeeze the juice and use as a cosmetic.

For the winter, the plant is wrapped and covered with a film. During the wintering period, it does not need watering.

Wintering

In winter, special care is required for aloe verawhich is different from the usual. Many people believe that in winter, aloe is at rest, but physiological processes occur smoothly in it, which require good lighting and competent watering. First of all, the plant needs to be prepared for winter. The preparation is as follows:

Gradual reduction in watering.
In the absence of a natural light source that can be used in winter, lighting should also be reduced.
Come up with a place for wintering, in which there will be the greatest coolness.

Why does the flower dry in the winter? The main reason for the dryness of the tips of aloe leaves in winter is the dry air in the room, which occurs due to the operation of heating devices, so in order to avoid drying of the flower, it should be placed away from them. It is recommended to maintain indoor moisture with humidifiers.

In the presence of a fluorescent lamp, it is advised to artificially extend the day to 16 hours a day. In summer, the plant will certainly thank you with a bright flowering.

With a lack of light, the aloe will turn pale. Watering a flower in winter should be reduced to once a month, the temperature of water for irrigation should not be lower than air temperature.

Watering in the winter is carried out through the pan, in order to avoid a supersaturation of moisture in the soil. The temperature of the content in winter should be approximately 14 degrees Celsius.

Disease

The plant itself is very rarely ill, sometimes a scab, which can be removed independently from the leaves of the plant, is possible. Also, with improper watering, root decay can occur, moderate watering should be used to prevent this problem.

Aloe vera is an unpretentious flower that in addition to its beauty has a lot of useful properties. The juice in the leaves of plants has healing properties that are used not only in alternative medicine, but also in cosmetology.