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Aloe Vera are considered to be very robust plants. The prerequisite, however, is that the location meets their requirements. The most important location criteria are listed below.

In a nutshell

  • Adapt location to the desert of Africa
  • is used to desert conditions
  • Leafy succulents thrive indoors as well as outdoors when site conditions are right
  • Sunny location under certain conditions

Open land, balcony, living room

The desert plant, which comes from the grass tree family (Xanthorrhoeaceae), thrives outdoors and on the balcony as well as in the living area. The following site conditions should be taken into account:

You should always decide when the aloe vera is allowed to go outside in the fresh air, depending on the prevailing temperatures.
  • Outdoors only at constant temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius
  • Planting in the bed is just as possible as in tubs and pots
  • Relocation from living space to the open air recommended in summer
  • Living room location on a window sill on a south-facing window or in the conservatory is ideal

light

One of the most important criteria for healthy and vigorous growth of aloe vera is a light location, preferably full to sunny. Although it also grows in partial shade, it is much slower and "punier". It also becomes more susceptible to rot there if it gets too much water. The following details should also be considered:

  • Full sun leads to reddish-brown leaf color (natural process)
  • If you want green leaves, provide a less sunny spot
  • In the sun and high temperatures, the tips of the leaves often dry up (normal)
  • Young plants do not belong in full sun and do not tolerate direct sunlight, so always place them in semi-shade

Notice: The leaf succulent does not always react to light in the same way or tolerate it equally. If the leaves turn brown, this may be due to too much light. A clear indication of insufficient light is when the leaves lie flat to the ground instead of growing upwards.

temperature

Due to its tropical/subtropical origin, aloe vera likes it warm. Here it develops best and can reach leaf lengths of up to two meters or more. The most important site conditions in terms of temperature are as follows:

  • Between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius is ideal during the growing season from spring to autumn
  • During winter time between ten and 15 degrees Celsius required for it to bloom
  • No temperatures below ten degrees, as it will be damaged

Attention: If the ambient temperature drops towards five degrees Celsius, the plant already starts to show the first signs of frostbite. If the temperature drops below five degrees Celsius, it can quickly die off due to the frozen water content in the leaves.

space requirement

So that the aloe vera can spread well, it is important to ensure that the location is large enough, which is particularly important when planting in the bed. A planting distance of between 30 and 40 centimeters is required here. If pots/tubs are chosen, they should already have a diameter of 30 centimeters, even for young plants, in order to avoid frequent transplanting.

floor

While there is special succulent and cactus soil for aloe vera for cultivation in pots/tubs, important criteria must be taken into account when choosing the bed location. If this is not taken into account, this can become a problem, especially with regard to the neighboring plants, since aloe vera are very fond of lime, but many other plants do not do well with lime soil.

Floor Criteria:

  • low in humus
  • Nutritious
  • water permeable
  • Dry to moderately moist
  • Sandy (essential for water retention and prevention of rot)
  • Mineral and calcareous
  • Ideal pH: 4.5

Rain and wind protection

Heavy, long-lasting wetness, as occurs with continuous rain, can be deadly for aloe vera. The risk of root rot is immensely high in these cases. In addition, too much water often leads to growth disorders because it belongs to the drought-loving plants. Therefore, the aloe should get a rain-protected location, which ideally also offers wind protection. Especially in spring, cold winds can have a negative effect on health. The same applies to drafts in the house, which should be avoided, especially during the winter rest period.

Change of location outdoors

For leaf succulents, every change of location is a burden because it has a hard time getting used to it. However, if you want to move them out of the house into the open air after the winter, it is unavoidable. It is important that you slowly get used to the (new) lighting conditions. It is essential to avoid direct sun and too much sun, as this can cause plant-damaging sunburn. It is ideal to place them in semi-shade first and then to expose them to the sun a little more each day from the third day. The habituation should extend over a period of about twelve to 14 days. After that she can stay in the full sun and outside.

frequently asked Questions

What should be considered when changing location in winter?

Basically, an aloe vera should not be switched over during the winter season. She is in hibernation and accordingly bad can get used to new circumstances. If the change of location cannot be avoided, you should definitely make sure that the same location conditions are present at the new location as at the old one.

Can an aloe vera hibernate on the balcony with protection against the cold?

This is very risky, because you don't know how mild or how frosty the winter will be in Germany. Temperatures can drop unexpectedly and quickly from plus ten degrees Celsius to zero. Then even the best protection against the cold will not help and the plant will freeze to death. Overwintering outdoors is therefore always not advisable and instead you should offer the aloe vera winter quarters with temperatures between ten and 15 degrees Celsius.

Between what types of plants can aloe vera be planted?

Aloe Vera is a weak feeder. This means that it can theoretically be placed between all plant species, since it does not compete for supply. However, it can only be plants that get along well with the acidic soil if they are in close proximity to the succulent. Suitable specimens include heather such as common heather (Calluna vulgaris 'Kinlochruel'), but also ferns, David's snowball, glorious bells, narrow-leaved laurel roses and numerous hydrangea and rhododendron varieties.

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Garden design