How to water an Aloe Vera?

Aloe vera has a thousand and one virtues. It is also very decorative and coexists wonderfully with other tropical or exotic plants for a trendy jungle chic ambiance.

Aloe vera is a succulent plant of the Aloe genus, which thrives in dry, arid, and hardy areas. It is therefore naturally water-efficient, as its metabolism allows it to extract droplets from arid soil and then store them. This plant requires careful watering.

Aloe Vera has fat, pulpy leaves full of gel. These leaves are made up of more than 95% water! Aloe leaves produce latex sap , known for its medicinal and nutritional properties.

This plant prefers warm, dry environments, but will adapt very well to your living environment. Easy to maintain, it won't require you to be an expert. Your only missions will be to admire it, therefore to keep an eye on it :) and to give it good watering!

When to water them?

Aloe-type succulents are healthier and look best when kept slightly moist. This means watering them when the soil becomes almost dry.

Feel free to stick your finger in the soil to get a better idea, and remember that deeper layers of soil dry out more slowly. How often you water will depend on your plant's living conditions: temperature, pot width, soil composition, etc.

An Aloe Vera plant in the shade can survive for a month without water, while in full sun, it will need to be watered weekly. Reduce watering in winter when the plant is resting.

You can grow your Aloe indoors or outdoors, so it's important that we adapt our advice accordingly.

Aloe Vera in the garden:

If you grow your plants in outdoor garden beds, they will rarely need water and will receive sufficient moisture from rain. Except during hot summers, they will rarely need supplemental irrigation.

When in doubt, observe your plant. If the soil dries out completely and the normally fleshy leaves begin to shrink or shrivel, the plant may benefit from a little water. This can happen during prolonged dry spells, but it is not common.

Aloe vera stores excess water in its leaves to withstand periods of drought. You'll need to provide enough water to moisten the top few inches of soil. If you've planted several Aloe Vera plants in close proximity, you'll need to water them more often.

Aloe Vera indoors:

Aloe grown indoors is not exposed to rain and requires manual irrigation. Generally, the plant needs to be watered when the soil is almost dry. Inspecting the soil in the pot is again the best indicator: if the soil is moist, the plant does not need water.

Water dry soil until excess water begins to drain from the bottom of the pot. Then quickly empty the collected water into the drainage tray. Allow the soil to fully absorb the water before watering again. Drainage holes are very important to prevent waterlogging and the growth of germs and fungi.

Soil and humidity:

Soil type affects your aloe's water needs. These plants grow best in fast-draining, sandy soil. They suffer from rot problems and eventually die in wet or clayey soil. Outdoors, choose sandy or rocky areas that dry out quickly.

Indoors, choose a cactus soil mix . You can also combine potting soil with equal parts fine sand to ensure drainage. Also consider gravel and clay balls. Again, drainage holes will ensure your soil stays healthy. Also, be sure to drain any standing water from the pot.

Spot a watering error & Take action:

It is important to always keep an eye on your Aloe vera, to spot the first symptoms of a possible watering error.

The first signs of overwatering should alert you when the leaves turn brown and lose their firmness. The final stage is leaf loss. This should be a warning sign.

Swollen cells in the leaves cause edema, precisely where too much water has been absorbed. The presence of mold in the soil is a clear indication of excess moisture. Root rot is then likely (especially indoors), and the plant will have a hard time recovering without your help.

How to save overwatered Aloe Vera?

• Dig up the plant and remove the soil from the root system.
• Let the roots of your plant air dry for 2 or 3 days.
• Don't hesitate to prune and cut out rotten areas to help your houseplant recover and avoid fungal diseases.
• Then replant it in fresh, dry soil.

Only resume watering once your plant has shown positive signs of regeneration (straightening up, resuming growth).

If you've exceptionally overwatered your plant, don't worry. Simply let the soil dry completely before resuming watering.

A lack of water will be evident by wrinkled, discolored, and dry leaves. Remember that a succulent plant will forgive a lack of water much more easily than an overwatering.

What water should I use?

Rainwater is ideal, but tap water works as well. Feel free to hydrate your plants with filtered water. If you can't, we recommend filling your watering can and letting the water sit overnight. This will allow the chlorine to evaporate.

Fertilization and watering:

To give your Aloe a little boost, you can use a liquid fertilizer once a month . Before applying it, make sure you have watered it well beforehand (about 12 hours before fertilizing). This will allow excess water to drain away, and form a protective coating around the roots before adding fertilizer.

Conclusion :

To conclude, as always, we remind you that we learn best by experimenting! It's quite frustrating, but watering requires some knowledge and a lot of feeling! To help you, you can rely on our advice and our watering cans!

Our collection of Watering Cans brings your green plants to the forefront of your interior design!