Aloe PLICATILIS

Aloe, like virtually all succulents, is undemanding in care. The centenarian loves light, so it is best placed on windowsills located in the southern part of the room. However, it can also be grown in shaded spots, though one should consider that severe light deficiency will cause the aloe leaves to stretch and pale. In summer, the plant can be moved outdoors into the fresh air, but falling rainwater must not be allowed to hit it. A centenarian kept outdoors for a long time has distinct advantages over one grown exclusively indoors: it develops sturdier spines and a well-formed stem.

In summer, aloe requires fairly generous watering. In winter, however, it should be watered very sparingly, using exclusively water at room temperature or slightly warmer. If watering is too meager, the leaves will become very thin with little juice. Because the roots of the centenarian are very thick and fill the entire pot, water drains almost immediately into the drip tray during watering. For this reason, it makes sense to water the plant from below by pouring water into the tray. Moreover, the finest roots capable of absorbing moisture are located at the very bottom. To prevent root rot, any remaining liquid should be poured out of the tray 30 minutes after watering. Air humidity does not matter for aloe. However, an occasional warm shower is helpful to clean dust from the leaves.

In summer, the centenarian needs moderate ambient temperatures, and with the arrival of winter it should be moved to a cooler room. The plant tolerates sudden temperature swings well. Most species are capable of enduring drops down to 6 °C (43 °F). However, there are also species that require temperatures not lower than 15 °C (59 °F).

You can make the soil mix yourself by combining leaf mold, turf soil, sand, and humus in a 1:2:1:1 ratio. Also add charcoal and crushed brick. Peat should not be included in the mixture. The soil should be slightly acidic. You can also purchase a commercial cactus soil mix. Adding a little crushed brick and charcoal to it is recommended. While the plant is young, repotting is carried out annually. Mature aloe requires repotting far less often, about once every 2 or 3 years. Deep flowerpots should be chosen, without forgetting a good drainage layer.

Fertilizing is performed only once every 4 weeks and exclusively during the spring-summer period. A mineral fertilizer for succulents and cacti is used (mixed as a very dilute solution). Feeding should be discontinued in mid-autumn and suspended until spring.

Scale insects can sometimes infest the plant. To eliminate them, wipe the leaves as often as possible with a cloth dampened with soapy water.