How to Propagate Aloe Vera? – Tips for Propagating and Repotting Aloe

Aloe vera is a beautiful succulent that can add a tropical style to your garden and add a lush green touch to your indoor decoration. You can grow this popular indoor house plant with proper process and care. If you already have an aloe vera plant in your garden, then you can propagate it. Now the question is how to propagate aloe?

There are different types of aloe vera plants, and many of them are used in flower beds, home gardens, and more. Aloe vera plants are easy to grow, propagate, and care for. Here is an article with all you need to know about aloe vera plants, including how to propagate aloe vera, how to cut aloe vera plant, how to plant aloe vera, and how to care for aloe vera plant after propagating. 

Introduction to Aloe Vera Plant

 Before knowing about how to propagate aloe vera, let’s have a look at the basic introduction of the aloe vera plant. 

Aloe vera is a succulent plant species belonging to the Aloe family. It is a stemmed and short plant with fleshy, thick, and greenish leaves that grow from the real stem (Source). This cactus looking plant is one of the decorative plants, which you can grow in your house or garden. 

Aloe vera plants are easy to grow and care for. People with the most novice green thumb can also grow this plant easily. You can grow this plant in cactus soil. Moreover, keep it in bright light to get the best results. 

If you already have an aloe vera plant at your home, you may have an idea about how to plant aloe vera. Now let’s have a look at the ways of propagating it. 

How to Propagate Aloe Vera? 

Aloe vera plant is one of the famous medicinal plants, popular for its healing properties. There are two popular ways for how to propagate the aloe vera plant: propagating offsets and propagating cuttings. We have explained both the ways to propagate the aloe vera plant so that you can successfully carry out the process. 

Required Equipment and Materials 

• Healthy aloe vera plant
• Clippers or a sharp knife to cut
• A container or pot with proper drainage holes
• Well-draining garden soil
• Rooting hormone (optional)

Propagating Offsets

Growing aloe vera plants from seed is an involved and lengthy process. The succulents grow slowly. On the other hand, propagating using offsets provides a faster start. In addition to this, the seed needs eight to ten hours of sunlight to germinate, so you will have to render growth lights. Therefore, it is better to grow the aloe vera plant from propagation. 

How to propagate aloe vera? One best way is to propagate offsets. Offsets are also known as offshoots or pups. They are the clones that grow from the roots or stem of the parent plant. Offsets rely on their parent plant for nutrients and water until their own root system is developed. Propagating offsets leads to a single parent plant growing with clumps of various connected plants, each with its roots. 

Aloe vera plants do not produce offsets until they are a few years old. To succinctly describe, the healthier and older the aloe vera plant is, the more and better it will grow offsets. Now how to propagate the aloe vera plant? Here are some steps to follow for propagating offsets. 

Remove the Aloe Vera Plant from Pot

The first step for how to propagate aloe is to remove it from the pot. While removing the aloe vera plant from the pot, you need to tilt the plant towards the side with the main stem. You can also tip it outside down if the plant is not too big. 

In case the plant is not too big, you can squeeze it to the side of the pot, tap the rim, or tap the sides of the pot upside down on a low wall or edges of a table. 

Once the old soil removes from the roots of the plant, check if the roots are healthy. In case the roots are brown, you should remove them. You can remove the unhealthy leaves using a sharp knife. 

Seperate Offsets

After removing offsets, the next step is to separate them. You can directly pull the offset away from the parent aloe vera plant. In case you are unable to do so, you can cut it away. In case you are repotting, then you can easily pull away. However, if the parent plant is to remain in the current pot, then it is better to cut it using a sharp knife. 

Remove Unhealthy Leaf

The next step for how to propagate aloe vera is to remove the unhealthy leaf. After examining and separating the offsets, you need to remove the unhealthy or rotten portions. In addition to this, also check the roots for the offset for any damage. Check the roots of the mother plant also for the damage. Make sure to keep the offsets’ roots intact. 

Remove Offsets

The next step is to remove offsets. It is always a good idea to remove an offset when its size is around a quarter of the size of the parent plant. After removing the offset, you need to trim and repot it.

In order to remove the pups of offsets, you need to find the spot where they are attached to the mother plant. Now cut all the pups using a sharp knife. Ensure not to damage the roots. In case the roots of the offsets are entangled with that of the mother, then gently pull them apart. Check the roots and leaves. Moreover, cutting off dried leaves of brown roots using a sharp knife. 

Plant Offsets

After removing the offsets, the next step is to plant them. In order to plant offsets, find the right size pot with drainage holes. Fill the pot with the potting mix loosely. Now make a deep and wide hole using your finger to plant the roots and lower stem of the plant. 

After placing the roots in the hole, fill it with soil. Now press down teh soil slightly with your fingers to make the plant solid enough. It will allow the plane not to topple after growing.

Pro Tip – Fill the pot upto around a centimeter from the top of the container or pot. 

If you can purchase a bag of cactus potting mix for propagating aloe vera, then it would be the best. It is the best soil to use for propagating aloe vera plants. 

After planting the offsets, make sure to provide proper aloe vera plant care to your plants to keep them healthy. 

Watering Offsets

After planting the cuttings, the next step is to water the aloe vera plant. Make sure to give them proper water until water begins to leak out from the drainage holes present in the bottom. 

Propagating Cuttings

Now you know how to propagate aloe vera from offsets. The next way is to propagate the aloe vera from cuttings. You need to follow the below-mentioned steps.

Take Cuttings

In this way, the first step is to take a cutting using a sharp knife. So, how to cut aloe vera plants for propagating? 

Try to take the cutting down to the stem. It will provide you with a complete leaf, and an unattractive leaf will be left behind. 

Make sure to leave some part of the leaf in order to balance the aloe vera plant so that it does not topple over. 

Now leave the cutting for a week to dry out. It will help to prevent the wounds from becoming infected. 

Dip Cutting into the Rooting Hormone

After taking the cutting and keeping it for a week, the next step is to use a rooting hormone. It will help to prevent infections. You can also use honey as it has antiseptic properties, which are effective in preventing infections. 

Plant Cuttings

Now that you know how to cut aloe vera for propagating, the next step is to plant the cuttings. Take a small pot and make a big hole in it. The hole should be big enough to easily place the cutting inside it. When planting the cutting, make sure the soil is good to properly fit around the cutting and support it adequately. 

Aloe vera plants are succulents, and they are sensitive to overwater. Therefore, it is a good idea to add water to the soil before planting the cutting. 

Do not water the plant until the soil becomes dry. If the cutting turns brown and deteriorates, it means it is not taking root. In case it does not deteriorate, the aloe vera plant will grow successfully. 

Pro Tip – Success is not guaranteed with cutting. So, it is better to plant offsets as they are more successful. 

Caring for Propagataed Aloe Vera Plant

Now you know how to propagate aloe vera; the next question is how to take care of an aloe vera plant? 

After propagating, the new plant that has started roots requires deep watering. However, water the plant again once the soil has properly dried out. Watering the plant offset will discourage the establishment of the aloe vera plant, and it will cause rotten roots. 

New growth can take around several weeks to some months. After seeing the new growth, you can be sure that the aloe vera propagation was successful. During the propagation time, keep the plants in strong direct sunlight. After the proper establishment of the plant, provide them with fertilizer and water. In order to establish pups without roots, water them less to encourage root development. 

Final Words

Aloe vera is an amazing  plant to grow in your house or garden. It not only adds an amazing touch to the decor but also has medicinal properties. Aloe vera plant is easy to take care of. However, it is difficult to grow the plant from seeds as it requires a lot of care and time. Therefore, it is better to propagate the aloe vera plant. Follow our tips on how to propagate the aloe vera plant, and do share your experience with us by dropping a comment.