Aloe Vera Stem Too Long? How To Fix It

Now, you might have an Aloe Vera poking out of its soil because the stem is pretty tall. If you are concerned that your Aloe Vera stem is too long, we will tell you what to do about it.

Aloe Vera plants are great for both indoors and outdoors succulent plants. They do well in containers although you can as well plant them directly into the soil.

As your Aloe Vera plant grows larger, one way or the other you might have to repot. You might even face the situation of a too-long stem and you might be wondering what you can do. We will give you some steps on how to solve an Aloe Vera with a too-long stem so let’s begin.

What to Do if your Aloe Vera Stem is too Long

When your Aloe Vera stem becomes too heavy and long, it might begin to tip over. Even supporting it with a stick to help it stand upright and might not work because it might be too heavy. There are a couple of things you can do to solve these issues.

1.    Repotting Leggy Aloe Vera

For a small potted Aloe Vera plant the stem is long and shoots out below, you can simply add more soil to fill the pot. You can opt for this if you don’t want to repot. However, doing this will make your soil full to the brim. This can cause the soil to splash over when you water or when it rains.

So you can simply repot. We will teach you two ways in which you can repot your Aloe Vera plants when the stem starts to get too long.

Method One – This method is for a small Aloe Vera plant.

• The first thing to repot your Aloe Vera plant is to remove the plant from its container and expose the soil.
• Gently take out all the soil.
• Next cut the roots you see coming out of the base as you remove the soil.
• Place it back into the container (you can either use a new or the same old container).
• Now fill up the container with fresh soil. Never use the old soil.

Method Two – This other method is for medium-sized and bigger-sized Aloe Vera plants. This method is also less disturbing to the root of your Aloe Vera plant.

• Get a plastic container and make a big single round hole for drainage at the base of the plastic container. Ensure the hole at the base of the container is bigger than the stem size of your Aloe Vera plant. Now cut or slit the plastic container straight down at the side down to the bottom of the container drainage hole.
• Make some holes some little holes side by side at the side where you slit the plastic container straight down. This tiny hole is to allow you to thread and seal the pot back after you are done repotting.
• Now take the cut container and wrap it around the bigger-sized potted Aloe Vera plant. Fit it on top of the bigger potted Aloe Vera plant and allow it to sit on top. Then you can begin to thread upwards the cut holes you punctured so the plastic container can stay well.
• When you are done threading the second container, fill the container up with soil. Nurture this structured Aloe Vera for about a month. Then after a month, the Aloe Vera plant would have developed adequate roots to support the upper container. You can now proceed to cut off and remove the second lower pot.

 

 

2.    Repot Deeper

Another method of repotting deeper is to simply obtain a deeper pot with some compost grains. The deeper pot will accommodate the length of the Aloe Vera stem. Fill up and bury your Aloe Vera plant with soil up to the first two or three leaves depending on the length of your plant.

You can cut off some leaves below the plant stem to bury the stem deeper into the pot.

3.    Cut and Repot

You can also cut some parts of your Aloe Vera stem with a sharp knife and repot. Before repotting, allow the cut stem to dry out. You should also cut off or remove the lowest two leaves because when you bury your Aloe Vera plant, they will eventually rot off.

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How Long Are Aloe Plant Roots?

Aloe Veras have a shallow root system. They don’t need deep soil. You can plant your Aloe Vera in pots with a depth of 17 inches or more.

A wide container will work best. While these succulents don’t have deep roots, their roots grow outward. If you want a large aloe vera, you should plant it in a big pot.

How Long Do Aloe Vera Plants Grow?

Aloe Veras develop new leaves every 1 to 2 weeks. Under the right conditions, you’ll see growth every month. It will take about 4 years to reach maturity if your plant is just starting.

Indoor Aloe Vera plants typically reach leaf lengths of 12 to 24 inches. Those grown outdoors in optimal light, soil, and moisture conditions can reach lengths averaging 3 feet!

How Long Can an Aloe Plant Live Out of Soil?

An Aloe plant is extremely tough. While opinions on how long it can live out of soil differ, these plants are known to grow without ground. Aloe Veras do well when grown hydroponically in pebbles and water.

If you remove your Aloe Vera from the ground, most gardeners agree that it’ll live 1 – 2 days at room temperature before going bad. In more ideal temperatures, cutting can survive for weeks. One gardener claimed his Aloe cutting made it for almost a year!

If you keep your Aloe Vera cuttings moist and ensure it gets sunlight, they’ll live. Many people grow them indoors without soil. This succulent has many purposes. Growing them hydroponically can enhance their quality.

What Can I Do With Aloe Vera Stems?

Aloe Vera stems have multiple uses. You can use the gel inside them to tackle various health issues. It’s also an excellent ingredient in beauty routines. Simply cut the leaves open and scoop the gel out with a spoon.

You can use the gel on skin irritations or burn wounds. It works great for bug bites and sunburn too. If you keep the gel in your fridge, it’ll be soothing and cool when you apply it.

The gel inside an Aloe Vera stem can make your hair feel more moisturized. Massage the gel into your hair and scalp once a month (or more) and let it sit for an hour. After you’ve rinsed your hair, it’ll feel much better! You can also make a face mask or apply the gel inside the Aloe Vera stem to your feet.

Some people eat the Aloe Vera stems. The outer skin and gel inside are safe to consume. Ensure you thoroughly wash the skin before eating it. You can cook the Aloe Vera stems in boiling water to soften them or eat them raw.

How Long Should I Leave Aloe Vera In Water?

Aloe Vera is a drought-resistant succulent. You should never let it soak in water. This could lead to root rot and dying plants.

You can keep cutting from your Aloe Vera plant without water for a day. If you plan to eat the cuttings, leave them in water for 10 – 20 minutes beforehand.

Aloe Vera with too Long Stem Final Note

After you must have finished repotting, don’t water immediately. Wait a couple of days before watering. Allow the newly transplanted Aloe Vera to settle down in its container. This way, your plant will recover well from the stress transplanting.

FAQ’s

What do I do if my aloe plant is too tall?

If your aloe vera plant is too tall, you can simply repot it in a bigger pot. When aloe plants start to divulge or protrude outside their container, you can as well cut or trim down the size by taking away the leaves protruding. 

Use a sharp knife to trim the aloe plant in two portions and replant the upper portion. Not to worry, you won’t harm your aloe plant doing this. Matter of fact, they will grow back better than before. 

You should also know that one of the many reasons your aloe plant is growing tall is that it might not be getting adequate light. Therefore, indoor aloe plants will mostly grow tall because they have to reach out to light by growing tall and leggy. So, to avoid this, ensure you supply your indoor aloe plant with good sunlight or you can simply feed them with grow light. 

How do you grow aloe vera leaves thicker?

You can grow aloe vera leaves to be thicker by simply supplying them with a good amount of sunlight. The reason your aloe vera leaves might not be growing thicker is that they aren’t getting much sunlight. 

Another thing you can do to make your aloe vera plant thicker is to ensure the pot you are using is not too bigger for the size of the aloe plant. The pot must also be tight. All succulents love to be pot-bound in a tight spot. 

Can you regrow aloe from a leaf?

You can regrow aloe from a leaf. However, the best form of aloe propagation is from its pups or offsets which will offer you a faster yield. 

Do the following to grow an aloe leaf:

• Get a pot, preferably a terracotta pot. Put your potting soil mix and lay flat the cut aloe vera leaf on the soil. 
• Push the leaf into the soil just a bit. Allow some parts to be exposed so they can get sunlight. 
• Water your aloe vera leaf and soil. Also, you should water the soil when it gets dry. Ensure the soil does not go dry.
• You should begin to notice some sprouting after a few weeks. 

Should you trim aloe plants?

It is advisable to trim your aloe plant when they are fully and bountifully grown. Trimming your fully grown aloe plant will help take away impaired and unnecessary parts. This will also encourage healthy aloe growth. 

When trimming your aloe plants, always address the damaged leaves that are brown, dried, or dead. Always aim to trim a whole leaf at a time and refrain from cutting the leaves in half. After taking care of the bad leaves, you can then proceed to trim healthy leaves so your aloe plant can fit into the pot. 

When should you repot an aloe plant?

You should repot an aloe plant when they grow bigger and outgrow the pot they are in. Also, repot your aloe plant when they begin to grow pups. Using the root ball size, obtain a new pot that 2 or 3 times bigger than the root.