Aloe vera is a popular houseplant because it is hardy, tolerant and easy to care for, and its unique shape and texture make it an attractive container plant. Plus, it’s great to have on hand because you can use aloe vera gel for healing and skin hydration. If you have just acquired a new young Aloe Vera houseplant, you naturally wonder with enthusiasm how long it will take to grow.
How fast does aloe vera grow? Aloe vera plants grown indoors take 3-4 years to grow from a pup to an adult plant with mature leaves about 20-25cm long. To promote rapid growth, prepare for planting, provide optimal care, and increase the growth rate with fertilizer.
Read on to learn more about the growth rate of aloe vera, what you can do before planting to promote rapid growth, and the best way to care for your aloe vera houseplant for maintaining strong, healthy growth, plus some additional steps you can take to encourage faster growth.
Contents
Aloe vera is a “fast growing” succulent plant.
Aloe vera is one of the fastest growing types of succulents, but since succulents are a group of plants that grow quite slowly compared to other types of plants, this means that aloe vera grows slower than all other types of plants. like cacti.
Because it grows slowly, Aloe Vera can use fewer resources. This is one of the characteristics, along with tissues that store water, root systems that grow horizontally to seek water near the soil surface, and other characteristics that these plants have adopted to help them survive in the harsh and arid climates in which they live. who are growing up.
Aloe vera growth rate
The precise growth rate of an Aloe Vera plant depends on the environmental conditions, growth stage and health of the plant. But in general, you should expect to see visible signs of growth on your plant over the course of a month or less, and the plant will produce a new leaf from the central rosette about once a month. Significant increases in size should occur over a period of approximately four months.
It takes several years for an indoor aloe vera to grow from a pup to a mature plant with leaves at the base 8 to 10 inches long. And with the right growing conditions and care, she can continue to grow very slowly to a maximum size of around 46cm tall and wide.
Factors that affect the growth rate of aloe vera
There are a number of factors that can affect the growth rate of a particular aloe vera plant.
growing conditions
Growing conditions are the most important factors affecting a plant’s health and its ability to produce new growth. Doing everything you can to provide the optimal growing conditions for your Aloe Vera houseplant will ensure that you meet the specific needs of that type of plant so that it has the energy it needs for vigorous growth.
Here is a brief summary of preferred growing conditions for Aloe Vera:
- Cultivation pot: Clay pot with drainage holes provides ample space for roots to spread
- potting soil: Well-drained potting soil containing coarse sand or perlite
- Light: Direct sunlight or artificial grow lights.
- Temperature: 55-80F (13-27C)
- Water: Water thoroughly and allow excess water to drain off, then let the soil dry out before watering again.
Growing Aloe Vera Plants Indoors Vs. Outdoors
Another important factor in the growth rate of Aloe Vera is whether the plant is indoors or outdoors. Aloe vera plants grown indoors grow more slowly than plants grown outdoors.
growth stage
Like other plants, Aloe Vera goes through an active growth phase each year during the spring and summer months, then goes through a period of dormancy or dormancy in the winter, when little or no growth occurs.
plant health
Healthy Aloe Vera plants grow faster than plants that struggle with debilitating issues like pests, diseases, and unfavorable growing conditions.
Preparing a new aloe vera plant for rapid growth
There are a few things you can do to help a new Aloe Vera houseplant grow faster from the start:
potting soil
Aloe vera needs a well-drained potting mix to ensure the roots don’t get too much moisture. You can use commercial potting soil for succulents or cactus or you can make your own.
Be sure to add coarse sand or perlite to reduce the risk of overwatering, which will lead to root rot and disease that will slow or stop plant growth.
culture tray
Choosing the right type of grow box is also a great way to help your Aloe Vera grow faster. A clay or terracotta pot will help the soil dry out well between waterings.
Always make sure the container has drainage holes. Pot size is also important – place your Aloe Vera in a container that is about three times the size of the plant’s root ball.
bury the banana peels
A great and very simple trick to give newly planted aloe vera plants an extra boost is to use banana peels. Simply burying whole or chopped peels in potting soil before planting Aloe Vera will slowly release potassium into the soil, building the plant’s resistance to pests and diseases and maintaining efficient water use and nutrients.
Promotes root growth
Another tip for faster growth is to dust the existing stem or roots with a rooting hormone powder to encourage your Aloe Vera to make new roots.
Another tip to encourage root growth is to avoid watering new potted plants for 2-3 weeks (after watering well while the pots are planted), which forces the roots to seek water. and get stuck faster.
Take good care of your houseplant with aloe vera to promote rapid growth
Making sure your plant is healthy is the easiest way to grow it faster. Although aloe vera houseplants are fairly easy to maintain, remember to pay attention to the specific needs of this type of plant.
Here are the main aloe vera care issues that need to be addressed to encourage faster, healthier growth:
- Transplant: Always make sure your aloe vera container is large enough to allow for further growth. This way, you won’t have to repot as often, which puts pressure on the plant and hinders its growth. As mentioned above, choose a pot that is about three times the size of the plant’s root ball. It is also better to use a wide rather than a deep pot to allow the roots to spread out.
- Light: Aloe vera needs lots of light, so place your plant within a meter of a sunny window where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct light per day. Or get around 16 hours of bright artificial light per day with full spectrum grow lights. Make sure the light is bright, but not too bright, as too much light will bleach the leaves and stunt plant growth. Also, make sure the lighting doesn’t make the plant too hot. And rotate the plant once or twice a week so that all parts of the plant are exposed to light.
- Temperature: Typical indoor temperatures of 55-80 F (13-27 C) are ideal for Aloe Vera plants, so all you need to do is make sure your plant is not in one spot in your home. which is warmer or cooler than temperatures that are comfortable for you.
- Water: Adequate watering is always essential for the vigorous growth of houseplants. Aloe vera plants are easy to water because you just need to water the soil well, squeeze out the excess, and let the plant sit until the soil is completely dry before watering again. With Aloe Vera, it is always better to water less than too often, as these plants are drought resistant.
Fertilize Your Indoor Aloe Vera Plant to Improve Growth
Although aloe vera plants eat little, they generally do not eat need fertilizer for healthy growth, fertilizing gives the plant an extra energy boost for faster growth. Choose a low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer formulated specifically for succulents.
Fertilize twice a month during the plant’s active growing season, April through September, diluting the fertilizer by at least half. Do not fertilize in winter when the plant is dormant.
To avoid chemical burns, it is best to apply the fertilizer after watering and draining excess water from the soil.
And remember the banana peel trick? You can also soak chopped banana peels in water for two days and then pour the resulting tea into potting soil to strengthen the plant and promote rapid growth.
See my article on natural houseplant fertilization for more tips on using natural products to boost the growth of your houseplants.
Don’t let your aloe vera jar get overloaded
Eventually, your Aloe Vera may produce suckers or offspring, which are young plants that grow out of the sides of the parent plant. These puppies need to be removed; you can transplant them to start entirely new plants.
Or maybe you have a neatly wrapped aloe vera plant in an attractive succulent arrangement. The point here is that overcrowding creates competition for water and nutrients and can also encourage fungal and insect infestations, which will slow the growth rate of the plant.