Aloe vera is a plant that keeps on giving. If your plant is happy and healthy it may begin to make pups or baby aloes that grow alongside the mama aloe. Today, we’ll talk about how to propagate aloe vera using these pups, and how to propagate an aloe vera leaf.
These pups can be removed fairly easily, and planted in their own pot. It’s important to understand you don’t have to move the pups if you don’t want to.
Eventually, the pups will crowd the pot, and you’ll need to replant the aloe in a bigger pot.
Creative Things To Make Using Aloe Vera
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
Homemade Baby Wipes Recipe
Also, check out Benefits for Aloe Vera
Before Planting Aloe Vera Pups
- Choosing the right container is important. Terra-cotta is a porous material, which is great to use for succulents. The porous material will let the soil dry between waterings. It’s also heavy enough to keep the heavy aloe from tipping over. Plastic or glazed planters can also be used, but they do hold more moisture.
- Preferably, choose a container with a drainage hole. Don’t add gravel, or other drainage material, since this will take up viable space for roots to grow.
- The soil you use should be a well-draining potting mix. There are special mixes made just for succulents (see below for suggestion).
How to Propagate Aloe Vera Pups (Indoors)
To propagate aloe pups, you’ll need some nice planters. I love terra cotta. It’s relatively cheap. You can find terra cotta online, at Lowes or Home Depot.
A spoon and a fork will do the job, but this succulent transplanting tool kit is inexpensive, and works even better!
- Optional* Remove the aloe from the pot, and place it on a clean dry area, like the kitchen table covered with newspapers. (You don’t have to remove it from the pot however, it does make it a little easier to remove pups.)
I didn’t remove this one from the pot because they were already fairly loose. - Gently scrape away the soil around the pups, either using a fork and spoon or a special succulent transplanting tool kit.
- Once you get as much of the soil away from the roots gently pull the pup out, trying to keep as much of the roots as possible.
Lay the pups down somewhere while you prepare the soil if you haven’t already. - Replant the pups in their own containers, using a soil mixture aloe will love. The bottom of the leaves should just rest on the surface of the soil.
Leave 3/4 headspace in each planter, so water has a chance to be absorbed by the soil, instead of running out of the pot and making a mess!
- Place the aloe pups in a warm, sunny window, but not in direct sunlight. At least until they have had time to begin to set in their roots.
- Let these pups settle for one week before watering them.
- Wait until the water completely dries out to water them again.
Watering Baby Pups
Baby aloe may need to be watered a little more to help them take root. Just be careful not to overwater them. They can get root rot from being over watered.
Water the aloe pups when the soil is completely dry. Depending on the type of soil, light conditions, and temperature you may water the aloe vera pups anywhere from once a week to once every 3 weeks.
The trick is to water when the soil is completely dry. If you water it too much you may have issues with root rot. If you have issues with any of your aloes like turning brown, white, shriveling, or more, check out my post on Aloe vera troubleshooting.
My big mama aloes are currently in a potting soil not meant for aloe. It’s okay to use regular potting soil even for potting pups, especially when growing them indoors.
They’ll need less water this way since the soil is denser than necessary. Also, pups will take longer to root in regular potting soil. They might even turn brown, and look a little sad for a while.
If this happens, water them as usual, and usually, they bounce back and start growing strong.
You can add pumice or perlite to lighten the density of the soil. Although, this isn’t very necessary if you have a well-draining soil, and planter made out of a material like terra-cotta.
How to Propagate Clumps of Aloe Pups
If you have pups that are clumped together, and are impossible to separate you can replant them together.
Just separate the clumped pups from the mother, and replant as a group. You want to use a planter that will allow some room to grow in. When they outgrow the pot, simpy upgrade them to an even bigger planter.
Shopping List
How To Propagate Aloe Vera Leaves Or Cuttings
Using cuttings can be a hit or miss way of propagating aloe vera. The best way to propagate is by using the pups.
Directions
- Start by cutting one leaf close to the stem.
- Allow this cutting to sit for one week, while it forms a thin dry layer, like a scab closing up a wound.
- Prepare your pot with succulent soil.
- Poke a small hole in the soil about 2 inches in depth, or more if you have a very large cutting.
- Dab a little bit of rooting hormone, or honey on the cutting edge of the aloe leaf.
- Place the leaf in the soil, and crowd the soil around it, so that it stands up straight.
- Don’t water the cutting for about a week.
- After the first watering, allow the soil to completely dry out before watering again.
My friends over at Insteading made a great list of succulents. Go on over and check out what else you can grow!
Aloe Vera Plant Care | How to Care For Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a great plant to grow indoors, and out. It’s very easy to grow, being drought tolerant, and low maintenance. Learning how to care for an aloe vera plant is simple. You might notice there are a few different types of aloe. Like many other living things on this planet, aloe comes in…
Continue Reading Aloe Vera Plant Care | How to Care For Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera Turning Brown | Troubleshooting Common Issues with Aloe Vera
It’s a huge bummer when you see an aloe looking a little sad. If your aloe vera is turning brown and soft, then it may have some issues. Did you know? Aloe vera is native to Africa! It’s considered a tropical plant, that is drought tolerant. Aloe is a succulent, and like many succulents, it…
Continue Reading Aloe Vera Turning Brown | Troubleshooting Common Issues with Aloe Vera
Best Gardening Tools List – A List of The Best Gardening Tools
Here are a few of my favorite things… Many of these items I’ve tried myself. There’s nothing like having a good quality tool and having it last for years and years. The Best Gardening Tools list contains products for skin protection, short & long-handled tools as well as some cute planters. I may add to…
Continue Reading Best Gardening Tools List – A List of The Best Gardening Tools
Garden Pest Control
Fighting insects in the garden is not my favorite past-time. I’m pretty sure they think that the “human” planted them a buffet. Besides, we live in the woods, and there are a million insects out here just ready to devour my garden. Even so, I’m fighting back, I’m not laying down! Therefore, I put together…
Top 10 Best Edibles To Grow Inside
If you just can’t wait until the ground defrosts, or you just want to have some plants growing inside, check out this great list of the best edibles to grow inside. First pick a sunny area in your home, such as in the windowsill or a sunroom. Then, use this list to decide which plants…
DIY Herb Planter – How to Put Together a Front Porch Herb Planter
Herbs are the perfect choice when it comes to potted plants. Not only are they useful in home cooking but they are also a beautiful and aromatic addition to your porch. In this DIY Herb Planter, we’ll discuss what type of plants go together, how to pick the right plants, and how to get them…
Continue Reading DIY Herb Planter – How to Put Together a Front Porch Herb Planter
Follow Us On Social Media!
Have questions? Leave me a comment!
I would love to know what you think, Please leave me a comment! Thank you for visiting. 🙂
Share On Pinterest!
Congratulations! Your post was my feature pick at #OverTheMoon this week. Each Hostess displays their own features so be sure to visit me on Sunday evening and to see your feature! I invite you to leave more links to be shared and commented upon. Please don’t forget to add your link numbers or post title so we can be sure to visit!
Yay! Thank you so much for picking this post as the feature! I will definitely be visiting and sharing more! I look forward to seeing the feature on Sunday!