Grow, baby, grow! Whether you like it or not, your baby aloe vera plant will get bigger, eventually outgrowing the pot you brought it home in. Moving your plant into a larger pot is your next step! But you have to be careful: repotting your aloe vera before it is ready for the big move could have disastrous effects. If you plant ends up swimming in its new pot because it is two sizes too big for it, it will also likely be swimming in water. An overwatered aloe vera can easily die. To keep your aloe happy and healthy, don’t rush the upgrade. Your aloe vera will blossom beautifully and need a larger living space soon enough. So, when do you know it’s time to repot? Let’s take a look at how you know the time has come.
When to Repot an Aloe Plant: The Tell-Tale Sign
Going big and better–that’s the way of life! But what is the tell-tale sign that it is time for a pot upgrade? Run through these quick steps to find out:
- Lift up the pot your aloe vera plant is currently in.
- Answer this question: are there roots coming out of the pot’s drainage holes?
If the answer is YES: If you see roots coming out the bottom of your pot, your aloe vera plant has grown out of its current pot! This means that instead of its roots filling 2/3 of the pot (the requirements for the perfect aloe vera pot), they fill op the entire pot. Time to size up!
If the answer is NO: If you do not see roots at the bottom of your pot, give your aloe more time to grow in its current pot. It still has time–and room–to grow!
Upgrading your Pot: How Big to Go
When it’s time to upgrade your aloe vera pot (those roots! my are they dangling!), how much of a bigger pot should you buy? Just the next pot size up is good enough!
Repotting your aloe vera will give it a more comfortable living space as well as give you a chance to give it more nutrient-rich soil (replace the soil!) and a cleaner environment (remember to sterilize that new pot before you transplant your aloe vera!). If your plant needs an upgrade, consider it a good thing: an outgrown pot means your plant is growing! And you thought you didn’t have a green thumb!
Lila says
I live in Austin, TX where the weather is mild to hot year round. When we dip towards the 40’s I bring my aloe inside. I try to be careful not to overwater and I think she is a fairly happy plant. What I am confused by is how long and lanky it has become. Should I be trimming in some way? Or doing something all together different?
We Love Aloe says
You can trim the plant if you would like it to look differently. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with a lanky plant. I’ve clipped and left several plants, and it doesn’t seem to affect the health of the plant, just more of a preference thing.
Cadence says
Hi, I was just wondering whether you use the same soil your plant came with, and top the soil up, or just pull your plant up and get brand new soil? Sorry if that’s a stupid question, I’m kind of a newbie to aloe.
Also, when do you know to repot pups?
Thanks in advance.
-Cadence
deedee walker says
why is my aloe vera plant look like it is dying, I have been doing everything I’ve read for my plant, an still cant keep a plat alive, I do not have a green thumb, all my plants dye…need help…right now, with the only plnt I own, my aloe vera plant
elise says
Hi deedee walker. It would help to have a photo or description of the plant’s symptoms. They can get too much sun and they can be under and over watered…..
E
Les Anderson says
Deedee: My wife and I have grown aloe plants for many years while living in Canada. We sell the pups and end up being innundated with the same questions as yours. When we drop into to the wanna be aloe growers we find the same two problems eighty percent of the time: too much water and the wrong type of soil.
Aloe cactus a native African plant that grows in a very dry climate and in sandy soil. Aloe should not be watered until the root soil has dried out. When you do water your aloe plant, soak it thoroughly but be certain that your pot drains all access water. Wet soil will kill your plant.
The soil that aloe grows bepl in is about 60%+ sand. Very rich, composted soil will damage your plant.
A healthy aloe plant will grow lots of pups. You can, or should remove these pups because they can push the mother roots right out your pot.
I hope this helps.
Mason says
It’s winter where I’m at and my plant doesn’t get any sun at all and I’m worried. What can I do about the lack of sun it gets?
Dale says
place your aloe in the sunniest window of the house everyday all day and it should be okay for the winter.
Sarah says
Grow lights are a great option when sun isn’t an option. Most big chain stores carry LED grow lights that are priced quite economically. I bought all of ours online – with a range of price tags and ratings, and I think the cheapest square panel ones I got work the best to tell you the truth. It’s the only option I could come up with that works here in Minnesota when winter comes around. Like you, we don’t get much, if any sun during this time.
Michelle says
-pMy problem is that my aloe vera plants seem to quickly outgrow their pots and have lots and lots of baby aloe vera plants. I have baby aloe vera plants in all the new pots with the older plants now. Is there any way to slow down these over-prolific plants?
Dale says
if your aloe is producing lots of babies it means your plant is happy and healthy.
if you can’t keep up with the babies maybe you should give some to your friends and make them happy too.
Margie Bakke says
How do I sterilize a new pot before I repot aloe?
When is the best time to repot my indoor aloe, I live in Portland, Or
Thanks
Margie Bakke
Debbie says
I have an aloe plant that’s turning red. Why? Also, would you have any advice to share, regarding transplanting that same aloe from a pot into the ground in my garden? I’m in Southern CA. Thank you in advance.
DeathEater says
My Aloe Plant has brown spots and is very weak, what do I do?
Dale says
sounds like too much water is causing the sogginess and brown spots, you could be over watering or letting standing water remain in the saucer beneath the pot. Only water the Aloe when the soil is dried and do not allow any standing water to remain in the saucer.
Calgary aloe plant says
How do I know if my plant is sagging to much
Debby Korby says
I have two nice medium aloes in two different pots and want to combine into one large pot before winter. Is this a good idea? Leaves are starting to fall over because of weight.
Sharon Swanson says
I have several babies and with my mother plant and they are getting to be about four or 5 inches. Should I get them out of there now or is it a bad time of the year to do that. I’m in Nebraska it’s real cold here but it’s not cold in my house. I have one planned out on the porch. The coldest it has gotten out there is 39° so far is that an OK temperature for an aloe vera?
Stacy says
My plant is getting super thin at the base, where all the leaves USED to be. The leaves have eventually died and I cut them off. Should I repot it but in deeper soil, there is also little green sprouts growing from the base area.
Janice K. says
Does it hurt the mother aloe to leave the babies that shoot out around it?
Ken Rogers says
I have a large Goldtooth Aloe Vera,it is about 5 years old,
I live in the North of England and my Aloe has eleven ;pods;
almost ready to flower,I keep it in the conservatory facing
South kept at above 50f or more.
jasmin padia says
The leaf of aloe vera plant is curly long and thin. I repotted it and trimmed the roots of it. The leaf are light green and growing length by lengthwise. They are still thin and curly. Please advice
Rachel says
My aloe plant has grown so much! I replanted it in December or January from its original small container and it was small and half dead. Now the leaves seem so long and heavy and pull downward. I don’t know if I should trim it, repot in a bigger pot, making little stands to keep them up? It’s just a bit unstable because if it’s awkward distribution of weight.
Sammy says
I have the same issue with my aloe plants. I purchased two at the same time this summer (because I’ve never had a green thumb and assumed one wouldn’t make it). Also, because I was and am still “an aloe plant newbie” I purchased two different sized pots when repotting them from the store just to see if it made any difference. I keep one at home and one in my office at work (I was really afraid one would die and I wanted to put them in different environments in hopes I would end up with at least one happy, healthy plant. Both seem to be doing pretty well, but both are growing very tall and “top heavy”. I don’t know if this is normal but at least a quarter of both of the plants have tall leaves that lay horizontally unless held up on something. I have had the plants for 4-5 months; I have not seen a single pup in either of the plants and although I am not sure how soon these normally develop, I can’t help but think I am doing something wrong. Any thoughts or advice?
From Washington State
Marchelle Tucker says
I live in Glendale az my aloe plant had one in pot now has 5 in one pot brown leaves on outside of plant never has been messed with but water occasionally look like needs tlc. Not sure what r how please help
Ann Ailshie says
I got my aloe from a friend 2 years ago. Just a baby when I got it. I replanted 3 times to bigger containers. Not really being nice to it because it has gotten so big. No pups but just shoot after shoot after shoot. Had to cut most of them because they got too long. About a foot or better. ( I live in a camper mind you space is limited) am I doing something wrong not to get pups? And when I pulled it up just one little root off of the stump. Other then that it is thriving.
Mark says
Should I place my aloe Vera plant in sunlight? I water mine every 3 weeks. Is this the right thing to do?
Aarin says
Question: my aloe plant came in a pot tgat does not have drainage holes at bottom so i can not tell of roots are coming out…i feel like its time to repot but im not sure….and do i use regular potting soil? She has real large sagging stems and new babies sprouting im wondering if i should post a photo?
Alex says
Please help!! I have had my aloe for about a year and it has grown soo much in that time. I brought it in for the winter (zone 7) and it lost 2 leaves from them drying out at the base and falling off. I recently put it back outside and the leaves are so droopy! So I thought root rot but when I took it out of the pot all roots appear healthy but the roots seem a little pot bound. Like pot shaped and maybe over grown. What do I do?? I can’t think of what is causing this. I am pretty careful not to water too much.
Bonnie says
I love in a really cold climate during the winter months. Gets cold in my apartment at times, my aloe has been very heavy for the past month. She was really dry and I watered her by setting her in a bowl of water so she could suck up water she needs. Now she’s yellow, heavy and I cut a leaf and she’s bleeding red.
My question is, can I transfer her to dry soil, or will that really kill her? I’ve read that I can maybe nurse her back to health by neglecting her, but she doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
She was thick, green and beautiful a few months ago and then the cold set in and now she looks extremely sick.