How a Mistake Led to Successfully Growing Aloes From Seeds

Every gardener, whether they admit it or not, has at some point grown something in spite of themselves. Perhaps they didn’t know any better, or maybe they gave up on a plant, only to have it thrive. Such was the case with aloe.

We decided it was time to try our hand at starting aloe plants from seeds. We selected a nice clay pot, one that would hold moisture but had good drainage, and proceeded to sow the seeds—covering the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil. We then covered the pot with two clear plastic bags to aid in germination. Unfortunately, all that sprouted was fungi.

Giving up, we set the planter on the floor near our seed-growing area where it received a bit of heat and filtered light. It was almost two months later, after totally ignoring the container, when we decided to clean it and plant something new. To my surprise, when I removed the plastic I found all the baby aloe plants you see in the picture above.

Botanical name:Aloe ferox
Yield: 1 plant per seed
Days to germination: 10 - 30 days
Days to maturity: 5 - 10 years to flower
Height: Up to 10 feet Hardiness: Mature plants can take a bit of frost, but generally keep away from the cold.
Culture: Keep baby plants in the same pot from three months up to one year before transplanting.
Requirements: This succulent requires very little water. Prefers filtered light.
Uses: Medicinal and culinary.

Photo Courtesy of Gardening Jones