How To Repot Aloe Vera Plants Indoors

When repotting your Aloe Vera indoors, the first thing you should do is protect your surroundings by putting a mat down or as we did, put down some black bin bags. Once you’ve done that place the plant into the pot on top of the soil that’s already in it. If needed you should add more soil under the root ball and aim to align the base of the aloe with the lip of the pot. Continue to add more soil around the root ball to cover it and pat down the soil until it is flat. The plant should then be water approximately 1 week after changing pots.

The new pot should have a drainage hole that can be covered by a small screen or some loose-fitting flat stone. Add a 1-2 inch layer of soil along the bottom. Slide your plant out of its current container while handling the plant by its root ball.

Aloe Vera plants are ideal to be grown as indoor plants. They thrive off of hot and dry conditions but they still need to be tended to properly.

When Should You Repot Aloe Vera?

Aloe Vera plants are hardy and quite comfortable in an overcrowded pot so moving it to a new pot isn’t that urgent. Still, it will need to be done eventually if the plant is getting too big for its pot. They will get rootbound if it’s left too long so if you suspect your plant is outgrowing you should move it before that happens.

It’s not that easy to tell if your Aloe Vera plant needs repotting from the top. The best way to tell would be to lift the pot up and check the drainage hole. If you can see roots starting to come out then it’s time.

How Often Should You Repot Aloe Vera?

The good thing about Aloe Vera plants is that they won’t require repotting very often. It will take a few years before your plant outgrows its current container. The plant can still thrive in a slightly overcrowded pot so the plant can survive a long time without the need for change.

When you decide to rehome your plant you should pick a container that is one size bigger than its previous pot. Aloe Vera plants produce smaller plants known as pups which can make your pot overcrowded. An Aloe Vera plant with too many plants will start to look tired and wilt.

Can You Replant Aloe Vera Pups (Offsets)?

When your Aloe Vera plants reach maturity they can often grow offsets that are produced from the roots. A well-cared-for plant will produce pups frequently and too many of them can cause issues. The good news is that the offsets can be removed and grow into their own plant.

To remove an offset you can use scissors, a sharp knife or some pruning shears, leaving an inch or more of stem on the pup. Once removed leave the pup out of soil for a couple of days to allow calluses to form over the area you cut. The plant should be stored away from indirect light but in a warm area.

Once you can see the callouses have formed the offset can now be placed in a pot with some succulent potting mixture which needs to be well-draining. The potted pup needs to be placed in a sunny area and you can water it after 1 week but aim to keep the soil on the drier side.

Do Aloe Vera Plants Grow Back After Cutting It?

Aloe Vera plants are a great addition to any household because there are lots of uses for aloe. The gel inside the Aloe Vera leaves can help to heal cuts and burns and are anti-inflammatory. You need to trim the leaves from the plant to get to the stuff inside. A sharp knife or pair of scissors is all you need to remove the leaves from the plant.

Once you remove one of the leaves it won’t grow back. However, Aloe Vera plants will continue to produce new leaves as long as they are happy and healthy. Trimming older leaves from the Aloe Vera plant is beneficial for the plant as it can redistribute its resources on new growth. Don’t trim the plant too frequently as this can leave the plant weakened and in some cases kill it.

What Is The Best Potting Soil For Aloe Vera Plants?

Aloe Vera plants are succulents so regular gardening soil won’t be suitable for them. Any mixture that’s designed for succulents will be great for your Aloe Vera. When you are choosing your soil, it should be a well-draining one. Good succulent potting soil should contain lava rock, perlite, bark, or a mixture of them all.

Can You Replant A Broken Aloe Leaf?

You can replant a broken aloe leaf and grow a new Aloe Vera plant by doing so. The broken Aloe Leaf will need to dry out on its wet edge. After a few days, a thin layer of skin will develop over this edge. Once this layer has built up the leaf will be ready to be repotted.

Place the leaf into the soil with the damaged side facing down into one-third of the soil. Now you can water the soil until it is moist and try to keep the soil moist for the first month. If the leaf starts to shrink, that’s normal while it’s developing its roots. Once the roots have developed you can ease back with the watering, Aloe Vera plants don’t need that much to thrive. Make sure your plant is in a place with access to direct sunlight to help it grow.

Summary

Repotting your Aloe Vera plant is a necessity when it outgrows its pot. Although it enjoys a little overcrowding it needs to be rehomed before becoming rootbound. You will need to move it into a pot that is one size bigger. The pot should have a drainage hole, a small screen or flat stone along the bottom of the pot and topped up with a succulent potting mixture.

When you move your Aloe Vera plant handle it from the rootball where possible. Fill the pot up with more potting soil until in line with the tip of the pot. Aloe Vera are low maintenance and hardy indoor plants, a perfect addition to any household.