Nursery
How to Propagate an Aloe
Aloes are a big hit in our nursery. They are popular with our customers and sell very well.
Did you know that it is very easy to propagate any aloe from side shoots or “pups”? These are small baby aloes growing around the stem of the mother plant. I happen to have an aloe with two pups that I will use to demonstrate the process. Take a look…
This is the mother plant with the two small pups big enough to be removed.
Here I’ve removed the bag and most of the soil to expose the aloe’s roots. Closer inspection reveals that there are actually three pups!
I removed the pups by tearing them off the mother plant. You could also use a sharp knife or a blade to cut them off. These pups are beautiful – the bigger two have already developed some roots. Some resources suggest that you leave the pups for a week or two to dry before you pot them up. I find that unnecessary and usually pot them straight away.
Potting up the pups! I use river sand mixed with some garden soil/potting soil. Roughly 3 to 4 parts sand to 1 part soil. Use a pencil or a similar object to make a hole in the soil. Gently insert the pup and firm the soil around it.
The end product! Three baby aloes!