African Aloes The Gardener : The Gardener

African Aloes

Aloes in flower are simply spectacular. Vibrant colour that glows in the twilight to inspire all to garden with these tough, rewarding plants. Read on to find out more about beautiful African Aloes!

Growing African Aloes

The basic growing requirements for aloes is as follows:

• Plant aloes in full sun, although they can tolerate some shade. They will perform better in a sunny spot.
• Choose aloes wisely. Stick to aloes that are common or endemic to your area. Aloes grow from colder mountainous regions, to misty grasslands and near the coast on beach sand. Some aloes are more cold- and frost-tolerant than others. By choosing ones that are available in your area, there is a better chance of success.
• Soil must be well draining. Add river sand to clay soils to improve drainage. Add compost and bonemeal or superphosphate to the soil when planting aloes in the garden. This will give them a boost.
• Plant in pots if you have no space in the garden.
• As with all succulent-type plants, they need minimum water. They will usually take care of themselves with just rainfall. But will do with a good soaking during hot, dry spells. Water potted aloes that do not get rainfall every 2-3 weeks.
• These beautiful plants do not need regular feeding. But will appreciate a balanced slow-release fertiliser once in spring and in summer.
• You can prune unruly aloes. This keeps them free of dead and damaged leaves or from overwhelming other plants.
• A layer of stones around the base of aloes will act as a good mulch.

Propagating African Aloes

Small offsets grow at the base of some aloes and these are perfect for cutting off with a sharp knife and replanting to get more aloes. They need to callous over for a few days. Keep them out in the air and dry, before planting in a well-draining soil mix. Water in lightly and keep out of harsh sunlight until they have rooted and are growing well. You can also propagate aloes by harvesting and sowing seed.

READ MORE: Compact Aloes for Confined Spaces

Troubleshooting

Aloes are one of the easiest plants to take care of. However do look out for these issues:

Overwatering
This can cause the roots to rot and the plant to die. Don’t allow any plants to stand in water. Make sure the drainage is good before planting.

Underwatering
Although aloes will mostly take care of themselves, they can in very severe conditions become dry and shrivelled. Make sure to water in these conditions, being careful not to overdo it.

Sunburn
Occasionally, aloes can suffer from sunburn. If the leaves become brown and brittle and have brown or white spots, it might be a sign of sunburn. This mostly only happens to aloes that have been accustomed to low indoor light. It is easy enough to move the plant or provide shade cloth outdoors.

Troubleshooting – Pests & Diseases

Red spider mite – sucking insects that leave pale markings on the leaf surface. These can cause new growth to be distorted. Treat with neem oil or insecticide and remove any infected leaves.
Snout beetles – these love to climb into the crown of the aloe to lay their eggs and once the larvae hatch, they eat the succulent flesh and cause the cell walls of the plant to collapse. Remove the beetles by hand as soon as you see them or treat with an insecticide.
Gall mites – these travel through the air and are particularly attracted to aloes. Gall mites cause a condition called gall cancer, which is often found on the flowers. They become crooked and unsightly galls appear on the flowers and stalks. If left untreated this can spread rapidly to other plants for years to come. Treat with a systemic insecticide.
Aloe rust – a fungus that causes brown or black spots to form on the leaves on both sides. This fungus does not really affect the plant and can be left. But the spores are carried by the wind and could infect other nearby plants. Dust with sulphur powder to prevent new spores forming or control with a fungicide.
White scale – an armoured scale insect that shows up as white spots grouped together as a bumpy mass on the leaves and suck the life out of them. Treat with an insecticide for use on scale.