How to water aloe correctly, depending on the season

Aloe is a plant that bears the second name - agave. It belongs to succulents, characterized by fleshy thorny leaves. Aloe is very popular for home cultivation due to its medicinal properties. In addition, the flower is very unpretentious to care for. For it to grow well, it is enough to know how to water the aloe.

Watering aloe - how to do it right, so as not to destroy the plant

Aloe is a popular houseplant known for its medicinal properties

Aloe leaves are able to accumulate water, so the plant does not need frequent watering. An excess of moisture is destructive for him, just like a lack. In order for the plant to develop well, you need to follow the watering rules. The number of procedures depends on several nuances:

  • room temperature;
  • air humidity;
  • seasons of the year;
  • the age of the flower;
  • illumination in the room.

Make sure your plant needs moisture before watering. To do this, it is recommended to lower your finger a few centimeters into the ground. If it is dry, you need to water the flower.

Important! The surface layer of the soil cannot show if water is required, as it evaporates moisture faster.

If the aloe is growing outdoors, it should only be watered on dry days. Additional moisture is not required after rain.

In which organs does the flower store moisture

Aloe has a unique characteristic. The plant can go without water for a long time. This is possible due to the presence of large fleshy leaves, the pulp of which contains water. The plant retains moisture by closing its pores.

The plant accumulates water in its leaves.

How to water a plant

There are two watering methods that are used depending on the age of the succulent:

  • For young flowers, use the warm water tray method. The pot is placed in a deep container into which the liquid is poured. This is the best option, which helps to preserve all nutrients in the ground. They will not wash out.
  • Adult plants are watered with a watering can. In this case, it is important to ensure that the liquid does not get on the leaves. If it accumulates in the outlets, the aloe will begin to die. Before the procedure, the soil must be loosened so that it absorbs moisture well.

Important! Aloe should not be sprayed as this can lead to leaf death. If it is necessary to remove dust from the leaves, they are wiped with a cotton pad.

Depending on the season

The rules for caring for the agave depend on the season. The flower needs an increased amount of moisture in the spring. After winter dormancy, he needs it for active growth. During this period, you need to water once every seven days, in the summer the procedure is increased to two times. In autumn and winter, watering is extremely rare, since the succulent will be dormant.

How to water seeds

Aloe can be propagated by seeds. But this is a rather complicated method that I rarely use. In order for them to germinate, you need to do the following:

  1. First, the seeds must be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then placed in loosened soil.The distance from one seed to another must be at least two centimeters.
  2. A small layer of sand is poured onto the ground on top.
  3. To moisten the soil, the container is immersed in warm water. It is important that the soil remains always moist before the seeds emerge.

As soon as the seeds sprout, watering begins according to the scheme once every seven days.

Watering the shoots during reproduction

The most common way to propagate aloe at home is by cuttings. This method has its own peculiarity. After cutting, the cuttings must not be immersed in water. They need to be sprinkled with wood ash, kept in the air until the roots appear.

Cuttings can be placed in a pot with moist soil. Before the roots appear, they must be kept like this for several weeks. Once the plant is rooted, it is transferred to a container with dry soil. After transplanting, young plants are not watered.

Attention! It is important to choose the right pot for planting. There should be several holes in it. In addition, it must be wide so that the roots can grow freely.

Most often, aloe is propagated by cuttings.

Watering when transplanting

When transplanting aloe, watering should be stopped within a month. Then the plant is placed in new soil, which is pre-moistened. The flower is not watered for the first week after transplantation.

The number of transplants directly depends on the age of the plant. For a young flower, the soil needs to be changed every two years, for adults no more than once every four years. The procedure should be carried out in the spring, when the plant begins to actively grow.

Important! Naturally, aloe grows in the sand. This point should be taken into account when growing it at home. The land for the agave should contain turf, sand and leafy soil. A drainage layer is preliminarily laid out on the bottom of the pot.

Water quality for irrigation, which is better to use

Watering the agave should be done only with warm and soft water. In terms of temperature, it should be several degrees higher than room temperature. If the water is very hard, plaque will appear on the ground. Cold water causes root rot.

There are several ways to properly prepare water:

  • Leave the boiled or filtered liquid to stand for a day.
  • Freeze the water, then let it thaw for one day.
  • Add citric acid to boiled water at the rate of 5 g per 1 liter.

You cannot use tap water for the procedure, as it contains a large amount of chlorine and alkalis, which are dangerous for the plant.

Water the agave only with warm water

A combination of watering and liquid fertilizing when growing

Like any plant, aloe needs feeding. It can be combined with watering. Experts recommend using fertilizers either during the irrigation process itself, or after it.

Important! Top dressing can be carried out only during the period of active growth of the agave from March to September. But not more than four times a season.

If the plant is transplanted into a well-enriched soil, fertilizer can only be applied once. An excess of them can burn the root system.

The most suitable type of fertilizer for the agave is humic and potassium phosphate. You can purchase ready-made mixtures for succulents.

It is not always necessary to feed the agave. In certain cases, this is prohibited:

  • flower less than three years old;
  • the plant was attacked by parasites;
  • aloe is sunburned;
  • there is a lack of moisture.

As a top dressing, you can use diluted aloe juice. Also, the plant loves sweet water, to prepare it you need to dissolve a tablespoon of granulated sugar in a glass of liquid.

During the period of active growth, the succulent needs to be fertilized

How many times moisturize in winter

During the winter period, the aloe will be dormant. It is important not to disturb the plant, as this is an important stage in its life. It is gaining strength for further active growth.

In order for the plant to develop correctly in the future, it must stop growing in winter. Therefore, watering, starting in November, should be done only once a month.

What happens if you don't follow the rules

In order for the plant to grow actively and be healthy, you need to follow simple rules of care, humidity and lighting conditions. In its natural environment, the agave grows in hot climates. Therefore, it is important for him to maintain the humidity level. If the air is too dry, the stems of the succulent will begin to wrinkle. To fix the problem, you need to wipe them with a damp cloth.

The container with the plant should be placed in a warm place that is well lit. It is best to place the pot on a south-facing windowsill. In summer, the optimum temperature should be around 25 degrees. If there is no rain, you can take the pot out to the balcony, outdoors.

In winter, the recommended temperature is no higher than 20 degrees. If the room is warmer, the plant will weaken.

Attention! Due to improper care, the agave can attack pests, which will lead to serious consequences. If a plant disease is started, it can die.

If you do not follow the rules of watering, the plant may die.

The main mistakes of flower growers when watering

Moistening the soil is the main component of agave care. Therefore, it is important to know how to water aloe at home. All plant diseases begin precisely against the background of improper watering. The plant can become very weak and die.

The most common mistakes made by agave owners when watering are:

  • If yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves of the plant, this indicates that water has got on them due to spraying or inaccurate watering.
  • The plant begins to die if leaves break off at the base of the stem. This phenomenon occurs due to the accumulation of liquid in the outlets.
  • Lack of moisture manifests itself in thin leaves, which begin to wilt.
  • A rusty coating can form on the ground, the stems turn black, an unpleasant odor arises - this indicates the development of a fungal disease in the root system. Roots rot due to overflow.
  • Aloe can shed its leaves if hard water is used for irrigation.

Finding the problem early can save the day. To do this, you need to transplant the plant into new soil. It is carefully removed from the pot, dried, and decayed roots are cut off. As soon as the flower dries up, it is placed in new soil, to which a large amount of sand is added. The first watering after transplanting is carried out in a week. In the same period, you need to fertilize.

Caring for aloe is easy. The plant is unpretentious to the conditions of detention. It is important to monitor the condition, if any negative changes occur in the appearance of the flower, you need to immediately take measures to eliminate the problems.

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