Somehow, from childhood, we were inspired to think that man is the king of nature. But having lived on the ground for several decades with sadness, you understand that no man is a king, but a child. Proof of this is an undeniable fact, the farther from the forest, meadow or river we live in, the more pulls us beyond the city, into the womb of mother nature. And the tsar does not pull people, he just exploits them, that's all. But let's not talk about sad things. It is better to reflect on how, even living in a metropolis, feel part of nature and not lose touch with it. We will create an oasis of greenery on the windowsill, and the protagonist will make a century-old familiar from childhood. Talk about the species and breeding, the conditions of growing and how to properly care for aloe in the home.
Kinds of an agave
There are a lot of aloe species, and they all combine into one large family of asphodel species. The most common and recognizable of them are aloe tree, aloe vera and aloe vine. Homeland of the century is considered to be southern Africa and southern America, but many representatives of this drought-resistant kingdom perfectly feel in the subtropical climate of the Black Sea coast of Russia. Due to the fact that aloe is unpretentious, and care of it at home is simple, this plant has long been "registered" on the windowsills of city apartments and country cottages. And its curative bactericidal properties only add popularity to this pretty plant. Care for the aloe tree, aloe vera, or aloe vera at home is the timely watering and feeding, providing sufficient amounts of light, creating minimal conditions for normal growth and reproduction, and a couple more nuances. But first things first.
How to care for aloe - soil and planting
Let's start from the very beginning, with the preparation of the pot and the soil for planting and the planting of the young plant itself. Despite the great variety of species, all aloes are multiplied either by child-shoots growing from the roots of the mother plant, or by cuttings. Separate the outgrowth from the parent can be done when the child reaches the size with the child's finger. The capacity for planting such a baby is very small. After all, the plant will not stretch up until its branched root system does not fly through the earth's lump completely. Subsequently, with the growth of aloe, it is necessary to transplant once a year into a pot 2 cm wider and higher than the previous one. And do it best in the spring, in April - early May. Well, and since the plant is a desert plant, the soil for it should be selected loose, well ventilated and drained. Mix the foliage and sand 1 to one, add some fertilizer to the cacti, then lightly moisten the soil and plant your aloe-baby. Let it grow on health.
Care of the plant - watering and top dressing
As already mentioned above, aloe vera is a desert. So, the drought is not terrible for him. But waterlogging is fraught with diseases and decay of roots. Therefore, watering any kind of aloe must be very, very rare. The best guide in this case is the condition of the earth in the pot. If it became dry, like a stone, it's time to water our flower. Pour in so much water that it soaked the entire soil from top to bottom, but did not stand on the surface of the puddles. Aloe contains a lot of liquid, but still it is not unlimited. Fertilize the same plant once a month in the period from March to October, when it is active vegetation. For this, the same types of fertilizers are used as for cacti, because both cacti and aloe belong to succulents, i.e. plants that can accumulate and retain a large amount of moisture. In winter, no additional fertilizing is required.
Light and temperature
As for light and temperature, the more sun, the better. However, this does not mean that it is necessary to arrange an African heat for aloe. The plant feels fine and at a temperature of 8-10 degrees.
Nuances of grooming in winter and summer
And, at the end, a few recommendations on how to take care of aloe in winter and in summer. From late April to late October, aloe can perfectly
These are the simple rules for caring for aloe. Perform them under the power of even a budding floriculturist, and the joy of a century-old is not less than from an exotic flower. So dare, and you will succeed.