Best Soil For Aloe Vera Plant Indoors & Outdoors
Ideal aloe soil mix composition and some packaged potting soil options
Aloe Vera is an attractive, easy growing succulent belonging to the Aloe genus. It makes for the perfect indoor addition. It is a short plant with greenish, thick, fleshy leaves yielding from the central stem. The leaf’s margin is serrated and has small teeth. Since they are succulents, the type of soil you plant them in can make or break the plant’s health.
So, which is the best soil for aloe vera plant indoors as well as outdoors? What should be its composition? Continue Reading to find out!
Jump To
- Is aloe vera demanding in terms of soil?
- Which soil will be the most suitable for aloe vera plants?
- Can you use regular potting soil for aloe vera?
- Is the soil used for aloe vera outdoors equally good for indoors?
- How to prepare the soil for aloe vera?
- Best Soil for Aloe Vera Outdoors & Indoors – Some Packaged Options
- Final Word
Does Aloe Need Any Particular Type of Soil?
As succulents, aloes demand well-draining soil with a good potting mix comprising chunks of bark, lava rock, perlite, or an amalgam of all three. You can opt for the ones meant for succulents and cacti. Gardening soil cannot be the ideal best soil for aloe vera plants.
Which Soil Is the Most Suitable For Aloe Vera Plants?
Aloe Vera plants are native to dry and sandy soil conditions, common in the Arabian Peninsula. However, today, you can easily spot the plant in warm and tropical regions across the globe. Aloe is one of the few indoor plants that can grow well in dry, bright, and warm conditions with direct sunlight or near the Southern Window, where the sun’s rays are sharp and bright.
If you opt for the right soil for aloe plants, the perfect pot size and give them desired light, the plant can thrive and give you years of enjoyment.
Here are some parameters you need to consider to ensure you do not pick sub-standard soil for the aloes.
1. Drainage
Your chosen soil for the aloe plant should drain well, and you must pot the plant in a container with drainage holes. Only opt for the terra-cotta or the unglazed clay pot. These absorbent materials eliminate all the extra water from your selected soil for aloe vera plants, preventing waterlogging, a leading cause of fungal growth or root rot.
Sadly, the shallow leaves of the aloe plants are susceptible to damage by excess water as they take days to dry. Thus, we recommend watering the aloe in a sink because it lets all the excess water out.
Alternatively, you can place a plant saucer underneath to collect all the extra water and dump all the collected water from the saucer in the next half hour to ensure that the plant does not absorb it too.
2. Aeration
Aloe plants thrive in well-drained soil. So, they like their roots only slightly dry between two watering. To amplify the oxygen levels in the soil, consider aerating the soil by using a combination of ingredients, such as rocks and bark chips that can build air pockets in the soil and give direct oxygen access to the roots.
In addition, components like peat moss and perlite also absorb some water from the soil and gradually release it for use by the plant, ensuring ample moisture and oxygen availability. Thus, aerated, well-drained soil is the best soil for aloe plants.
Alternatively, you can allow better oxygen flow and aeration by poking a thin stick into the soil. It helps with drainage and facilitates better oxygen flow to the roots.
3. Component availability
The most suitable soil for the plant is one that does not hold water, such as sand or gravel. Some beneficial ingredients that you must have in the chosen soil are:
- Perliteis a fluffy volcanic glass, similar to the Styrofoam pallets. The presence of this ingredient in the soil ensures that the potting soil does not become compressed and still absorbs water for slow release and use by the plant.
- Coconut coilthat does not let the soil compress.
- Lava rocksensure the soil drains well and gives ample stability to the soil.
- Pumiceis also one of the essential ingredients in the ideal soil for aloe. It is lightweight and porous volcanic rock, which offers structural integrity to the soil, helping it drain and grow well.
- Fertilizeris necessary for the soil to boost healthy aloe plant growth. You do not have to feed an aloe plant for one to three months, provided you have added fertilizer to the best potting soil for aloe vera.
- Bark chunks prevalently used as a base ingredient also help with the aloe plant’s growth.
- Peat moss may also be present in some mixes. However, ensure it is typically in a small quantity because it retains water.
4. pH levels
Fortunately enough, aloes can tolerate a vast pH range. Typically, they grow in soil with pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.5. The soil for aloe should have a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Ideally, the growing mixes available in the market have pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.5, but remember that the soil’s pH value changes when you water the plant.
So, assess the plant’s soil profile for pH and nutrient level. Fortunately, pH should rarely be a problem for aloes because the tap water’s pH usually ranges between 6.5 to 8.5. But, if you believe that the water may be the culprit, you can collect the rainwater or water the plant with filtered water.
Aloe Problems: Brown Leaves | Bending Leaves | Drooping Plant
Can You Use Regular Potting Soil For Aloe Vera?
You cannot use the regular potting soil as it is. It won’t be the right choice as it is naturally very dense for the aloe, resulting in root rotting. However, you can modify it by adding gravel, perlite, and sand.
Is The Soil Used For Aloe Vera Outdoors Also The Best Soil For Aloe Vera Plants Indoors?
Yes, you can use the same soil for aloes indoors and outdoors, provided it is aerated, well-draining, and formulated especially for succulents or cacti.
More On Aloe Vera: Aloe Lifespan |
How To Make Soil For Aloe Vera?
There are two recipes to make the soil suited for the aloe vera.
A. Recipe 1– Take one part loam, one part pumice, one part sand, one handful of pine bark fines, and one part perlite, and mix all the ingredients in a giant container. Add some water and mix well to bind the components and achieve the best potting soil for aloe vera. However, do not overwater. It is better you water less than overwatering as it can almost kill your plants.
B. Recipe 2 – Take two parts of pumice or washed construction, one part bark, shredded leaves, or any other organic matter, and one part compost or manure to achieve the best composition. Do not forget to fertilize the aloe once in every 6-12 months for the plant to receive the right set of nutrients.
Best Soil for Aloe Vera Outdoors & Indoors – Ready To Use Options
Here are the four best soil choices for indoor and outdoor aloe vera plants. Make sure you care for the aloe plant well after planting it.
1. Professional Aloe Plant Soil– It is an excellent soil choice that supports your plant’s growth and gives your aloe a rich environment to thrive. It is a pre-mixed, ready-to-use soil composed of all-purpose, non-organic, premium soil. You can use it in pot-grown and soil succulents as it offers good root aeration and amplifies fertilizer absorption. In addition, it can hold ample moisture to cater to the plant’s needs and let the water drain well.
2. Succulent Plant Soil, Natural All-Purpose Cactus, Aloe Vera, and Succulent Potting Soil– It is a premium, all-purpose succulent soil. The potting mix contains a specifically formulated blend of top-quality components like Perlite, Peat Moss, Horticultural Grade Sand, and Lime formulated by professional growers to stimulate proper growth for the succulents like aloes.
It is a fast-draining soil blend that keeps root concerns from overwatering at bay. You can also use it as the propagation mix for aloe cuttings and leaves.
3. Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix – Fertilized Soil with Premium Nutrition for Indoor Succulents– It is one of the best soil for aloe plants crafted for people who love growing succulents like aloes and cacti. The potting mix has nutrient that help the succulents thrive. It is a fast-draining mix comprising a forest product, peat moss, and fertilizer blend. It adheres to industry standards, making it a suitable pick for aloes and other succulents.
4. Espoma Organic Cactus Potting Soil Mix– This potting mix contains organic soil for succulents and cacti. It has a rich blend of perlite, humus, and peat moss and offers optimum drainage and aeration. It is a proprietary amalgam of ecto and endo mycorrhizae.
You can use it whenever you plant aloe in containers or while transplanting the plant to a larger container. It contains a rich mix of natural ingredients and does not contain any chemicals or synthetic plant foods.
Final Word
Succulents are the best as they demand little maintenance and typically take care of themselves once fully established. So, the aloe vera plant variety can be a good pick if you are a busy gardener who does not have ample time to cater to the demanding plants that burn in the heat.
We believe with the information on the right potting mix, it should not be challenging to have your plant grow, bloom, and thrive. Choose the right aloe pot and pair it with the best soil for aloe vera plant indoors or outdoors and you are good to go.
