Aloe Vera Cultivation

It is really very easy to cultivate and take care of an Aloe Vera plant. Aloe Vera can be cultivated in any kind of land. But, the best suited land for Aloe Vera cultivation is loomy sand. That is the reason, why it grows so much in desert and harsh climatic conditions.

  • Aloe vera is almost resistant to all insect pests.
  • Though it is affected by mealy bugs, plant lice or aphids and scale insects; these are the parasites which normally feed on plant sap.
  • Aloe vera requires sandy soil and sunny atmosphere for its cultivation.
  • Aloe vera plant has no seeds. These plants are propagated by cutting the small shoots that grow at the base of the mother plant.

Aloe Vera Cultivation at Home Aloe Vera Cultivation

  • If you are cultivating the plants in pots, you should use pots which are more porous and keep them in warm conditions. Porous pots help to drain excess water.
  • Aloe vera plants require very less amount of water as these plants retain lot of water in their leaves.
  • These plants should be watered only if the soil is dry otherwise the leaves may get rotten. Aloe Vera Cultivation in the field
  • Aloe vera has gained a lot of commercial importance these days in manufacturing beauty products, medicines and food items.
  • Aloe Vera cultivation is carried out in fields on a large scale in countries like India, Australia, China, South Africa, Mexico, etc.
  • Initially, the soil should be well prepared so that it does not contain any weeds or parasites by which it is affected.
  • The field should be well ploughed to loosen the soil.
  • A little bit of acidic soil is best suited for cultivating Aloe Vera.
  • Supplement of ammonium nitrate to the soil can be given as a fertilizer to increase its nutritive value.
  • Sometimes the Aloe Vera plants are paired with other plants like cactus (mixed cropping).
  • This plant takes at least a year to grow into a mature plant.
  • Avoid cultivating Aloe Vera in regions with cold and humid climates.
  • Avoid watering the plants if the soil is already wet. Excess watering may rot the roots and drain the plant.
  • If the plants are over watered, their leaves become soft and change their color. If this happens, immediately watering the plant should be stopped and the soil should be allowed to dry well.
  • If you want to harvest the Aloe Vera plant then choose the leaves which are close to the ground and thick. These are completely matured leaves.
  • Cut these leaves from the base without damaging any other leaves.
  • Only the internal gel of the Aloe Vera plants is used as it is medicinal and the remaining part is used is used as manure.
  • Aloe Vera plants also bears flowers once in a year. About 250 species of Aloe Vera exist. All these appear somewhat similar, with some species having white flecks on both sides of the leaves.
  • Some species of Aloe Vera are medicinal.