Aloe in a container?

my_secret_garden · Sun May 14, 2006 12:53 am

I don't even know if I can grow aloe in Iowa (zone 5) but I would like to grow some in a container. Is that a feasible idea? I have sunny and shady spots to grow.

Grey · Sun May 14, 2006 8:29 pm

You'll want a hot, dry, sunny spot. It's still a cactus - so well-drained soil is a great thing for them.

You'll want to take it indoors before your first frost hits - so long as you have a good sunny spot in your home in the winter time, and can keep a grow-light on it to give it a little extra UV, you'll have the plant for a long time.

my_secret_garden · Sun May 14, 2006 11:15 pm

Thanks Grey!!

grandpasrose · Mon May 15, 2006 3:53 pm

Growing Aloe in a container is the only way it is grown up here, and usually as a houseplant. Aloe (of which there are literally hundreds of varieties, and I don't know which one you have) is actually a succulent, not cactus, and belongs to the Asphodelaceae Family.
Grey is right, you should bring it in before any threat of frost, and a good sunny south window is all it needs. It takes a little more water than a cactus because it is a succulent. Very easy to care for plant.

Val

opabinia51 · Mon May 15, 2006 6:16 pm

Even though I usually recommend against growing plants indoors, generally speaking around here, everyone grows their alloe inside and they tend to do quite well. Iowa being more centrally located than British Columbia would have a drier climate than here. Though, the principle is still sound.

Good luck!

opabinia51 · Wed May 17, 2006 8:06 pm

Even though the GardenWeb is flooded with adverizements it still has good information.

Newt · Wed May 17, 2006 8:53 pm

GW sure has changed since it was taken over by IVillage. I don't get pop ups with my blocker, but I agree the ads sure are a pain!! I only use it as a resource any more. I find the ads too annoying and don't like the fact that there's no way to get e-mail notification when someone responds to a thread unless you are the original poster.

Newt

opabinia51 · Wed May 17, 2006 8:56 pm

Yes, I don't like all the pop ups that are there now but, once and a while I still go over for the information and the seed trade forums.

Grey · Wed May 17, 2006 10:28 pm

grandpasrose wrote: Aloe... is actually a succulent, not cactus, and belongs to the Asphodelaceae Family.
Val

opabinia51 · Wed May 17, 2006 10:41 pm

Why did you post this Val? Is the statement incorrect?

Grey · Fri May 19, 2006 11:56 am

She was correcting me for calling Aloe a cactus.

grandpasrose · Fri May 19, 2006 2:34 pm

Not a big deal, they are related!

Val

cottongin · Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:49 am

Excellent info! I have always wondered about growing aloe indoors. I've ben told fresh aloe is awesome for sunburns, better than store-bought jelled versions.

revclaus · Fri Jun 23, 2006 1:16 am

I buy things occasionally from Miracle of Ale, and the last two orders they've sent along free aloe plants. I now have four of them potted up and they're inside under my grow lights doing just fine.

opabinia51 · Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:08 pm

Yes, one of my grandmothers used to keep a large aloe plant atop her refriderator just in case she burned herself while cooking. Came in handy when she was canning.

They seem to do quite well inside, in fact, this is the only place I've ever seen them around here.

Gardena · Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:16 am

I have small aloe in container. new shoots keeps coming out, but outer leaves keep turnning to brown and shrubbled up and dies.
So my aloe is alive but never become larger it seems ><
Too much water maybe?

Ninelives · Fri Jun 05, 2009 11:35 pm

We have two aloe plants one inside and one outside, the one outside has a bloom on it I have never seen one do this before. Interesting

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