Growing Aloe

To grow Aloe from seed the temperature must be maintained at a steady 21°C (70°F) during germination.

Soil mix is ideally very light and well draining ( you can use a 50/50 perlite/soil ratio. Add pumice and sand in smaller quantity if desired. Sand and pumice may be finely sprinkled over the top of the cointainer before sowing the aloe seeds so that the young aloe plants have support.

The seeds should be sown onto the surface of a pot or tray. The pot can be immersed in water carefully so as to moisten the soil. Then allow to drain thoroughly before watering again. This prevents displacement of the seeds. Or you can mist the seeds with water if you prefer. Covering the cointainer with clear plastic wrap keeps humidity in place to help the germination. Check consistently and allow for ventilation every so often to prevent fungal attack / rot.

Germination can take anything from 4 months to (in some varieties)2 years. So you may have to be patient.
Once they have begun to crowd each other out, carefully transplant them into separate containers.

As a plant native to Africa, is not recommend that Aloe is grown outdoors in any country that there is every a risk of frost. Aloe grown in containers can be taken outside in warmer weather and brought in if there is a danger of frost.
The optimum conditions for growing Aloe are very well drained soil in brightly filtered to full sun. Also a minimum temperature of 5°C (41°F) is needed. Watering, especially during the winter should be kept to an absolute minimum.

Happy Growing!