Aloe vera is an amazing plant that grows quickly. It’s a popular succulent houseplant to grow for its health benefits. In the last few decades, aloe vera has become a popular health supplement because it contains beneficial nutrients and vitamins.
The aloe vera gel inside the leaves is especially popular as it can be applied topically to treat burns, sunburns, insect bites, cuts, rashes, and skin conditions.
In this article, I will give you some information about how fast aloe vera plants grow, along with several tips to grow aloe vera faster.
- Related Guide: Aloe Vera Care
Aloe Vera is a Fast Grower
Succulents are slow growing plants in general, but aloe vera is one of the fastest growing succulents. The reason why they’re so fast-growing is due to their ability to absorb water from the air through their thick leafy stems.
But when compared to other types of plants, it’s still a slow grower. This allows them to survive during dry periods when other plants would die off. They are able to absorb and store water more effectively than other plant types.
Aloe vera plants take three to four years to grow from seed to maturity that’s one to two feet long. They need to be cared for well during this time.
By preparing the soil, ensuring you provide optimal care, and fertilizing the plants, you can increase the speed at which they grow.
Aloe vera grows at different rates depending on its environment, but generally you can expect to see some signs of growth after about one month, with new leaves coming out every few weeks. Increases in size should occur within 4 months.
Aloe Vera Growth Factors and Conditions
Growing your aloe vera will take more than simply buying a small pot of soil and planting seeds. You will want to know what type of soil you should use and how much light and water the plant requires.
Growing conditions are the most important factor in determining whether or not an aloe vera plant will grow well. By providing good growing conditions for a plant, you can ensure that it will be healthy enough to continue growing strongly.
Growing Aloe Vera Plants Indoors vs Outdoors
Another major factor in the growth rates of Aloe Vera plants is whether they are growing indoors or outdoors. Plants growing inside grow slower than those that are growing outside.
This is mainly because indoor environments don’t have access to sunlight like outdoor areas do. The lack of direct sunlight means there isn’t any UVB radiation being absorbed by the plants’ cells. As a result, the cell walls aren’t as strengthened.
Light Requirements
Aloe vera plants require bright indirect sunlight. If they don’t receive enough light, the aloe plant grows leggy. If the lights in your home aren’t bright enough, you can use artificial lighting or a grow light.
If you live where there isn’t adequate sunlight available year round, then you may have to consider growing your aloe vera indoors instead. If you do decide to go this route, make sure that you select a location that receives plenty of natural lighting throughout the day.
You’ll also want to choose a spot that gets indirect sunlight if possible. The best way to determine if your indoor space provides sufficient light is by checking the amount of direct sunlight that comes into the room each hour.
Water and Humidity Needs
Aloe vera is a drought-tolerant plant and likes being watered on a regular schedule, preferably every two weeks. The soil should dry completely before each watering.
Watering too often can cause overwatering, which leads to stress on the plant. When you water, the soil should be drenched thoroughly and then adequately drained.
If you forget to water it enough, you will notice that the leaves become dry and shrivel up. You may need to water it again. However, if it is watered too much, the plant will become stressed and start to lose leaves.
They don’t need extra waterings when it’s raining. They will be fine with no water at all if they were properly watered during the growth period in the spring and summer months.
If your plant is outside and the winter is rainy, you may want to consider planting it in rocks, gravel, or stones so that the water drains off enough and won’t become waterlogged.
Growing Container
The right kind of plant pot container can be a very helpful way to help your aloe vera plant grow faster.
Clay pots or terracotta pots are better as they will help the soil dry after each watering. The pots should have good drainage holes, so excess water will drain out.
Also, make sure you choose a pot that’s about 3 times larger than the root ball.
Potting Soil
Succulents need good drainage, so a well-draining potting mix is necessary. They grow best in areas where there is adequate precipitation, but not too much rain. They do not like standing in water. If they are kept in water, they will rot.
They prefer to be planted in pots with lots of drainage holes. Cacti soil mixes are available at local nurseries and online.
You can make your own cactus soil mix by combining coarse sand, building sand or perlite to your existing potting mix.
Fertilizer
An annual feeding in the Spring with a succulent fertilizer would be more than adequate for continued growth. Half-strength phosphorus water-based fertilizer would be appropriate.
But if you want them to grow faster, you can give them more feedings with a low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer for succulents.
Fertilize aloe vera twice a month during its growing season in the spring through summer. You’ll still want to dilute the fertilizer by at least 50 percent.
Don’t fertilize during the winter, during its dormant period. Prevent plant burns by applying the fertilizer after you‘ve watered and allowed the excess water to drain away from the soil.
- Related Article: Types of Fertilizer
Growth Stages
Like other plants, Aloe vera goes through an active growing period each year during the spring/summer months.
Then it experiences a dormant or resting phase in the winter, when there is little or no growth.
Plant Health
Good plant health will ensure healthy growth and flowering. It also helps prevent pests such as aphids and spider mites.
Care Tips To Encourage Rapid Growth
There are many care tips to try and keep in mind while caring for your aloe vera. It will help to encourage faster growth of the aloe vera.
Bury Banana Peels in the Potting Soil
Potassium is a mineral needed for healthy growth. Banana peels contain potassium. The easiest way to add potassium to the potting soil mix for aloe vera is to bury banana peels in the soil before you put the aloe vera in the pots.
Potassium is good for all types of plants including aloes. Potassium promotes cell division and increases leaf size. It’s also good for pest and disease resistance, allowing the leaves to look fuller and healthier.
Encourage Root Growth and Development
Aloe veras love moisture and thrive on regular irrigation. But don’t overdo it! Too much water causes roots to become weak and spindly.
Roots must breathe air. Allow some space between the topsoil surface and the bottom edge of the container. This allows oxygen into the soil, which encourages root development.
To speed the growth of the aloe vera, you may want to add rooting hormone to encourage existing roots to grow and sprout new roots. Put the rooting hormone on the existing stems to use it.
Another tip to encourage root growth is to avoid watering newly planted aloe vera for a couple weeks and allow the soil to dry. That will encourage the roots to spread out and grow into the surrounding soil to look for water.
Prevent Overcrowding in the Pot
Overcrowded containers cause stress that leads to slower growth. If you have too many plants in one pot, they compete for nutrients and light. They also tend to get sicker because their immune systems aren’t strong enough to fight off diseases.
Aloe vera plants may produce baby plants growing from the sides of the parent plant. These baby plants are also known as offsets or pups.
These pups will take up space in the container as they grow and need to be removed. You can pot them into new containers to start new plants.
The baby plants will get their own water and nutrients. They won’t fight the mother plant for anything, allowing both the parent and baby plants to grow healthily.
Monitor for Diseases and Pests
For healthier and faster growth, you want to keep your aloe vera plant free from pest and diseases. That includes keeping your other houseplants free from diseases and pests too.
Pests and diseases can transfer from plant to plant as a result of improper care. To prevent this, wash your hands before handling any part of your aloe vera. Wash your pots and trays with soap and hot water after each time you handle your plants.
Keep an eye out for signs of insects and diseases such as yellow spots on leaves, wilting leaves, brown patches on leaves, blackened areas around the base of the stem, and so forth.
Keep Your Aloe Plants Outdoors When Possible
Aloe plants grow better if they are kept outdoors, but they need to be protected from direct sunlight and extreme cold. The best way to do this is to place your aloe outside during the day and bring it inside at night.
You should never leave your aloe plant unattended while it’s exposed to rainwater. It could easily drown. Keep it away from drafts and open windows as well.
How Fast Does Aloe Vera Grow Final Thoughts
All in all, aloe vera grows very fast when given proper conditions. However, there are certain things you can do to help make sure your aloe vera gets even bigger and stronger than ever.
There are several ways to help your aloe vera grow fast. Use these tips to ensure healthy growth and vibrant green leaves.
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