Repotting Our Aloe Vera Plant

Last Updated on September 24, 2021 by Ellen Christian

I wanted to share how we are repotting our aloe vera plant. Keep reading for tips on repotting leggy aloe vera plants to start new ones.

I’m far from an expert when it comes to houseplants but I enjoy having a few growing things inside. It helps me get through the very long winters when I cannot get outside in the garden.

I love my aloe vera plant because it has so many medicinal uses when it comes to wound healing and skincare. You may want to try these houseplants that clean the air.

Repotting Our Aloe Plant

Repotting our aloe plant is actually a fairly simple process. The new babies (called pups) grow up from the soil beside the original aloe vera plant. That means, that splitting your aloe vera plant should be quite easy.

How do you split and repot aloe vera

So, if you have a leggy aloe vera that is outgrowing its post, can you split and repot it. That will help it stay healthy and give it more room to expand and grow.

Here’s what you need to get started repotting leggy aloe vera.

• Gardening gloves

• Potting soil (use a special kind for succulents)

• Newspaper (to protect your table)

• Smaller pots for the pups

• Small knife or scissors

What kind of soil is best for aloe vera plants

You can use regular potting soil if you want when you repot aloe vera. But, I find that it’s best to use potting soil that’s meant specifically for succulents.

An aloe vera has special needs to be healthy and happy. And, it will do best in soil that can provide for those needs.

So, can you use regular potting soil for aloe vera plants? You can yes if you need to.

How to Split an Aloe Vera Plant

Remove the overgrown aloe vera plant from the pot. Very carefully look at the root system before you start separating anything.

You do not want to damage the root system. You will need to very carefully cut the root system apart while leaving some of the root attached to each plant.

So, you cannot avoid cutting part of it but if you are careful, it won’t damage either plant too badly to survive. Once you have separated the pups, remove any dead leaves from around the base of the aloe vera plant.

When repotting our aloe vera plant, we took a few seconds to look for any tiny bugs or mites.

Place the original plant back into the pot she was in and add new potting soil. Press it down gently to remove any air bubbles.

Pot each new pup into its own pot with potting soil. Place them in a warm area with indirect sunlight. Do not water them for 72 hours after planting them to allow them to acclimate.

Now that you have your own aloe vera plant, have you considered making your own aloe vera gel? Repotting our aloe vera plant means that we will have extra to make gel from. Check out this article for a few benefits.

How often should you repot aloe vera?

Depending on the size of the pot, we usually consider repotting our aloe plant at least once or twice a year. We find that it’s happier when it’s not too crowded.

But, it will really depend on the size of your plant and the pot it’s in. Overgrown aloe vera plants are not happy.

And, if they stay in that state for too long, they’ll die. Be sure that you divide it frequently so that it stays healthy. They will do best in a terra cotta planter with at least one drainage hole in the bottom. Proper drainage is very important.

Aloe plant care

Caring for your aloe vera plant isn’t difficult. It will be happiest in bright, indirect sunlight. They enjoy temperatures between 55F and 80F and will do best in that temperature range.

Do not water them frequently. But, when you do water them, water them deeply so the soil is completely wet. This should happen about every three weeks.

But, be sure to water it slightly less during the winter. If you want to, you can fertilize it once a month during the spring and summer months. You should use a standard houseplant fertilizer.

Avoid overwatering your aloe vera plant to avoid root rot. When repotting our aloe vera plant, we make sure to add back a bit of fertilizer.

Minor skincare

Did you know that you can use aloe vera gel to soothe sunburn and for minor cuts and scrapes? Keep a pot on your kitchen windowsill for minor emergencies.

Repotting our aloe plant means that it will stay healthy for a long time.

You may want to check out my tips for repotting plants and see how I divided my Egyptian Walking Onions.