Species in the Aloe genus are handsome, elegant succulents that make wonderful landscape plants and houseplants.
They’re low maintenance, almost indestructible, and the soothing gel from the leaves is handy if you have a sunburn!
Aloe plants have a well-earned reputation of needing little care or attention and do well in dry conditions with sandy or lean soil.
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They’ll grow fine on their own with no supplemental feeding, but for robust, well-formed aloes with multiple plump leaves and an abundance of offsets, the careful use of fertilizer is called for.
But mind the word careful, because you don’t want to overdo it.
Overfeeding or feeding aloes at the wrong time of year can cause more harm than good, burning the delicate roots or causing leggy, leaning growth, brown spots, or leaving deposits of crusty mineral salts behind in the soil.
In our guide to growing aloe, we cover how to cultivate these succulents as houseplants.
If you’re ready to learn about what, when, and how to feed your aloe, let’s jump into our top tips for strong, healthy plants!
Here’s a peek at what’s ahead:
Aloe Basics
The Aloe genus contains hundreds of species, including popular houseplant and garden varieties such as aloe vera (A. vera syn. A. barbadensis), candelabra (A. arborescens), cape (A. ferox), lace (A. aristate), spiral (A. polyphylla), and many more.
They range in height from a mere four inches to over five feet tall with an equal girth, depending on the type.
They need a full sun location outdoors or bright light indoors, and a porous, well-draining soil such as a commercial cactus or succulent soil mix amended with some grit.
Wet, oversaturated soil will rapidly kill these succulents.
Learn more about cultivating aloe plants outdoors in our guide.
For indoor aloe plants, mix in one part of landscape sand or perlite to commercial potting mix for improved water percolation, or make your own succulent potting soil with our easy recipe.
Outdoors, mix in one part of gritty materials such as crusher dust, landscape sand, pea gravel, or stone chips to improve drainage.
Before you think about fertilization, you’ll need to decide on the type of feed for your aloes.
There are several fertilizers available for succulents, including commercial products like fast-acting liquids and slow release pellets, plus organic materials such as worm castings.
You can even make your own feed from common kitchen scraps. You’ll find the recipe in a bit, so keep reading!
And regardless of the type you use, the soil should always be watered first so it’s lightly moist.
Moist soil allows for the fast uptake of nutrients and helps prevent chemical scorch to the roots from mineral salts.
Water your aloes about one hour before feeding, discarding any standing water left in catchment saucers before applying fertilizers.
But before we look at specific feeds, it’s important to determine when aloes should be fed and how often.
When and How Often to Feed
Although they have few nutritional needs, both container plants and garden-grown varieties benefit from light, infrequent feedings for optimal growth and overall robust health – and to help promote blooming.
These succulents should only be fertilized during the growing season, between spring and fall.
This is when they’re metabolically the most active and have greater nutritional needs to sustain growth.
All supplemental feeding should be withheld in fall and winter, when most varieties go dormant.
Feeding while they’re dormant, or overfeeding during the growing season, can create several problems.
Root burn is a familiar problem with succulents and this happens when caustic fertilizer materials, commonly called salts, build up in the soil, scorching the delicate roots. Recovery from root burn is difficult and aloe plants very often die.
Succulent leaves can also suffer damage in the form of yellowing, dark spots, or a droopy appearance.
Begin feeding your aloes in early spring and continue to the end of summer.
Limit water soluble applications to once a month in the growing season and slow release formulas to just two applications, once in early spring and again in early summer.
Also, liquid feeds should always be diluted to half strength to avoid overfeeding.
Types of Feeds
A variety of fertilizers can be used for aloes from commercial products specifically formulated for succulents to homemade dried banana peels!
Let’s have a look at each type.
Water Soluble Formulas
Aloes respond best to water soluble or liquid feeds with an NPK ratio that has a lower amount of nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. Something like 2-4-8 (NPK) is ideal.
Water soluble formulas are fast acting and immediately flush the roots with nutrients as soon as they’re applied.
But with their delicate roots and low nutrient needs, it’s imperative to dilute water soluble and liquid feeds to half or quarter strength before applying.
Also, fast acting products should always be applied to moist soil to avoid root burn.
Down to Earth All Natural Cactus and Succulent Fertilizer
Down to Earth All Natural Cactus and Succulent Fertilizer has an NPK ratio of 2-4-8, and comes in one- and five-pound boxes, available at Arbico Organics.
Slow Release Formulas
Slow release products should have the same low nitrogen formula as liquids and are typically available as granules or spikes.
These should be applied to moist soil, and each time the aloe plant is watered the granules or spikes slowly dissolve, gradually releasing nutrients.
Granules are usually applied twice in the growing season and spikes are applied monthly or bimonthly, depending on their strength.
For aloes, apply granules in early spring and again in early summer, using half the recommended dosage.
Spikes should be applied as per the manufacturer’s directions, but first break the spike in half to reduce its strength and avoid overfertilization.
Miracle-Gro Fertilizer Spikes
Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Fertilizer Spikes have an NPK of 6-12-6 and can be purchased at Walmart.
Compost and Worm Castings
Compost and worm castings have lower amounts of nutritious minerals than commercial products and make an excellent, gentle feed for succulents when applied in early spring and again in early summer.
However, these typically have higher amounts of nitrogen than phosphorus or potassium.
When using organic materials like compost and worm castings, it’s helpful to add in a teaspoon of dried, powdered banana peels or powdered seaweed to boost phosphorus and potassium levels.
Our guide to composting banana peels has the details on how to dry them into a powdered feed for your plants.
And if you don’t have any seaweed fertilizer on hand, a sheet of sushi nori does the trick.
Nori has good levels of phosphorus and is high in potassium, making it a compatible choice for organic feeds like compost or worm castings.
Crumble the nori sheets into a coarse powder, or add one teaspoon of dried banana peel powder, along with the organic feeds.
Use one teaspoon to one tablespoon for indoor aloe plants, and one to three tablespoons for outdoor specimens, depending on their size.
DIY Natural Ingredient Recipe
If you prefer to use natural fertilizers over commercial products, some common kitchen waste items can provide your plants with everything they need for strong, seasonal growth.
Here’s a slow release recipe I like to use for those garden and houseplants that don’t do well in rich soil or with heavy doses of fertilizer, like cacti and succulents.
Collect your kitchen waste products as they occur, freezing them until you have enough to make a batch – wash the eggshells and chop banana peels before freezing them.
1. Wash the eggshells under running water then set them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Allow them to air dry for 24 to 48 hours then give them a whiz in a blender to reduce the shells to a coarse powder.
Eggshells contain calcium carbonate as well as magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus to help plants develop strong cells and roots.
2. Cut the banana peels into small pieces then lay them in a single layer on a flat tray or baking sheet.
Dry in the sun for a few days or in the oven on the lowest setting for three or four hours, turning them a couple of times until completely dry.
When dry, give them a whizz in the blender to reduce the dried peels to flakes or a coarse powder.
Dried banana peels contain good levels of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium for strong roots, healthy flowering and fruiting, and overall plant health.
3. Spread spent coffee grounds onto a tray in a thin layer then allow to air dry for several hours. Swish them around with a spoon occasionally to speed up drying.
Coffee grounds are a rich source of nitrogen which is important for leafy growth and healthy foliage, but succulents don’t need too much.
When you have your dried ingredients, combine them into a mixing container in the following ratio:
- 1 part powdered eggshells
- 1 part powdered banana peel
- 1/4 to 1/2 part dried coffee grounds
For houseplants, add one to three tablespoons – depending on plant and pot size – to moist soil in early spring and early summer, working it into the surface gently with a small fork.
Use three tablespoons to one cup for garden plants and work it gently into lightly moist soil over the root zone.
After mixing the ingredients, transfer to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and store in a cool, dark, and dry location.
Your kitchen waste fertilizer can be used on its own or mixed with equal parts of compost or worm castings.
Vibrantly Healthy Plants
Aloes are tough and resilient succulents that make handsome garden specimens and houseplants, and the soothing gel in their leaves is a welcome addition to any first aid kit!
They’re low maintenance, easy-care plants that prefer arid, lean conditions, so they don’t need to be planted in rich soil or fussed over with a lot of supplemental feeding.
But a light touch with the right fertilizer formula at the right times creates vibrantly healthy aloes with uniform, lush growth and thick, succulent leaves.
For the best results, remember to water your plants before feeding and always dilute commercial liquid products to half strength.
Use diluted liquid feeds monthly and restrict slow release fertilizers to half-dose applications in early spring and once again in early summer.
Then once the growing season is finished, withhold feeding your plants over winter to keep them healthy while dormant.
How about you folks, what’s your favorite fertilizer for aloes? Let us know in the comments section below.
And for more aloe care and cultivation details, add these guides to your reading list next:
