Can I save this aloe plant? My hubby needed to remove thi...
There's a lot of landscaping at our house and aloe are growing in both shade and full sun. This plant shows some sunburn but was otherwise healthy. I have two leaves and a cluster with at least nine that were cut clean - though I'd probably want to re-cut them with a sterile knife. Has anyone had luck propagating aloe from cuttings? These are between 15" and 17" tall so I know I'm not doing it on my usual windowsill! But it would be cool to see if I can get them to root and have an aloe indoors.
The ones with intact roots are between 12" and 17" tall. The one with the most intact leaves has only two little roots. The one on the right end has more roots and four (mostly) intact leaves. The giant root has only a partial leaf and would need to be potted deep if I were to try that one. I think that's a goner.
So, what do you think? Should I get the smaller ones with roots in soil ASAP? Will the heavy rosette or the sliced leaves stand a chance with a fresh cut and callous? And, given the size and weight of the rosette, how can I stabilize it in soil long enough for it to establish roots? How deep can the soil be? I have bamboo sticks I cut to length to stabilize any plant that needs it... I could make a cage around the rosette and bind it with padded gardening wire? But the soil needs to be deep enough to support the sticks...
I can make a custom soil from just about anything. I've got orchid mix, cactus and succulent mix, peat moss, coarse silica sand, lava rock, perlite, vermiculite, I may have some pumice that's much finer than the lava rock... Oh! Sphagnum moss of the New Zealand variety. I don't have coco coir at the moment. If you think I can pot the leaves and rosette after they callous, and the ones with some intact roots, I'd really appreciate a recipe for the soil.
This plant has been growing in what looks like amended desert soil though I couldn't say what the previous owners added. The soil is quite depleted where the aloe grow. It's only marginally softer than the "cement" we have for dirt in Tucson. Want to put a stake for a garden ornament in the ground? You'll have to saturate it to get it soft enough. ð Seriously - I've tried hammers and hoes and the dirt just send shockwaves up my arms equal to the force of my swing.
Thanks for the help!
The ones with intact roots are between 12" and 17" tall. The one with the most intact leaves has only two little roots. The one on the right end has more roots and four (mostly) intact leaves. The giant root has only a partial leaf and would need to be potted deep if I were to try that one. I think that's a goner.
So, what do you think? Should I get the smaller ones with roots in soil ASAP? Will the heavy rosette or the sliced leaves stand a chance with a fresh cut and callous? And, given the size and weight of the rosette, how can I stabilize it in soil long enough for it to establish roots? How deep can the soil be? I have bamboo sticks I cut to length to stabilize any plant that needs it... I could make a cage around the rosette and bind it with padded gardening wire? But the soil needs to be deep enough to support the sticks...
I can make a custom soil from just about anything. I've got orchid mix, cactus and succulent mix, peat moss, coarse silica sand, lava rock, perlite, vermiculite, I may have some pumice that's much finer than the lava rock... Oh! Sphagnum moss of the New Zealand variety. I don't have coco coir at the moment. If you think I can pot the leaves and rosette after they callous, and the ones with some intact roots, I'd really appreciate a recipe for the soil.
This plant has been growing in what looks like amended desert soil though I couldn't say what the previous owners added. The soil is quite depleted where the aloe grow. It's only marginally softer than the "cement" we have for dirt in Tucson. Want to put a stake for a garden ornament in the ground? You'll have to saturate it to get it soft enough. ð Seriously - I've tried hammers and hoes and the dirt just send shockwaves up my arms equal to the force of my swing.
Thanks for the help!
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Best Answer
As long as the brown part isn't squishy I'd say go for it! You can cut off the tops like you mentioned, let them seal up, and get them in soil.
I don't know that they care about being shallow so much as they care about not sitting in damp soil. I think when you see people saying they like to be shallow that's so that the pot can't hold as much moisture and risk rotting the plant.
The mixture you mentioned should work well foe these babies because the extra perlite will help the soil drain better and balance out the depth you need for these taller beauties. Don't be afraid to add a stake and tie them up also if they can't stand on their own or get too unruly and keep flopping over ð
I don't know that they care about being shallow so much as they care about not sitting in damp soil. I think when you see people saying they like to be shallow that's so that the pot can't hold as much moisture and risk rotting the plant.
The mixture you mentioned should work well foe these babies because the extra perlite will help the soil drain better and balance out the depth you need for these taller beauties. Don't be afraid to add a stake and tie them up also if they can't stand on their own or get too unruly and keep flopping over ð
I think the ones with roots should be fine if you plant them in a succulent soil.
As for the other ones, the tips look rotted so I'm not sure they can be saved.
If they are squishy then they're rotted and at best you would have to trim that part off to keep the rot from spreading.
If the brown part is still firm and not squishy then those stalks might just be sunburned or bruised. If that's the case you can put them back into the same soil as you would put the rooted ones. The one in the middle has the best chance, but the bottoms of them all look to be in good shape so they will probably root even if you have to trim them down.
As for the other ones, the tips look rotted so I'm not sure they can be saved.
If they are squishy then they're rotted and at best you would have to trim that part off to keep the rot from spreading.
If the brown part is still firm and not squishy then those stalks might just be sunburned or bruised. If that's the case you can put them back into the same soil as you would put the rooted ones. The one in the middle has the best chance, but the bottoms of them all look to be in good shape so they will probably root even if you have to trim them down.
@tmbryant37 the bottoms aren't rotted, he just pulled them off the root section and left them in the ground while he was working so the aloe juice turned brown. I'll clean them up, give them a sterile cut, and let them callous before I attempt to pot them. I read that aloe likes shallow soil but I'm going to need some depth to hold up that rosette. I've been propagating prickly pear, purple heart, and others from the yard, so the chance to grow the aloe is exciting! It's a healthy plant, just got battered when my hubby ripped it out.
Do you think adding perlite to cactus and succulent mix will make a good substrate for these?
Do you think adding perlite to cactus and succulent mix will make a good substrate for these?
@Paradox I agree with @tmbryant37 ðŊ on this. This will be something to share with us as they grow.
@tmbryant37 and @KikiGoldblatt thanks for the advice and for helping me feel confident I can do this! I was thinking the same about the shallow pots, Tabetha. I think a 7" - 8" pot will have the depth I need.
I can't plant the aloe too deep so it's going to need support - and support requires depth! Also, once that rosette does root, it'll need room. It had an extensive root system and I imagine it'll work to reestablish that.
I wish I knew more about the history of the plants here, but knowing how to care for them is what matters most.
Aha! The kitchen! I've been trying to figure out a good spot for the plant and I'm pretty packed. But aloe is a natural in the kitchen and it'll have skylight as well as indirect North and West sun.
I can't plant the aloe too deep so it's going to need support - and support requires depth! Also, once that rosette does root, it'll need room. It had an extensive root system and I imagine it'll work to reestablish that.
I wish I knew more about the history of the plants here, but knowing how to care for them is what matters most.
Aha! The kitchen! I've been trying to figure out a good spot for the plant and I'm pretty packed. But aloe is a natural in the kitchen and it'll have skylight as well as indirect North and West sun.
From my experience with thousands of Aloe Vera plants:
Your plants are healthy and will grow just fine!
Soil mixture: Succulent/cactus mix or soil that is very well draining.
Pot: Wide with drainage holes but shallow.
Water: Thoroughly every 3-4 weeks. Do not re-water if soil is moist.
Sunlight: Medium to indirect.
Avoid: Overwatering as this causes root rot and too compacted of soil.
Enjoy!
Your plants are healthy and will grow just fine!
Soil mixture: Succulent/cactus mix or soil that is very well draining.
Pot: Wide with drainage holes but shallow.
Water: Thoroughly every 3-4 weeks. Do not re-water if soil is moist.
Sunlight: Medium to indirect.
Avoid: Overwatering as this causes root rot and too compacted of soil.
Enjoy!