by Amjad
(Amman,Jordan )
Hello Jacki
whatshall i do with this aloe now,
i had it for a couple of years,
with the same regime of water
and fertilisers,
is it done???
thanx
Amjad
Well, before you give up on it entirely, why don’t you just propagate it? It obviously needs more light too, so even with this regimen of watering, it’s still not getting the right care.
You can propagate these plants easily, just follow the directions on this page. Twist the top off it, including as many of the top leaves that still look good, and then either pot it directly into well drained cactus mix, or a mixture of regular sterilized potting soil and pumice or gravel.
These plants need good drainage.
They also need bright light, and this is one plant that will do much better in full sun, if possible or at least a few hours of sun. That prevents this type of leggy growth, which you see here.
They also don’t really need much fertilizer. Whatever you were using, cut that in half, and do it only occasionally. Twice a year, when the plant is growing actively, is adequate. You know me; worm castings sprinkled on the top of the soi, or mixed into it when repotting, or compost tea is preferable to water soluble chemical type fertilizers.
Any succulent plant that is getting the right conditions otherwise won’t need much.
The salts that are in fertilizer can build up in the soil, and without good regular flushing out, they form a crust of white deposit on the top of the soil, and on the outside of the pot, especially terracotta clay pots.
This is a clue that you’re overfertilizing, and not flushing the soil well with periodic waterings.
Hope that helps get your Aloe back on track,
Jacki
