Aloes are South African garden staples, especially as we head into the cooler autumn and winter months. With compact varieties like Hedgehog on the market great for growing in containers, they have even been adopted by the houseplant community, useful for growing on sunny windowsills that receive direct light.

Whether you’re growing your aloes indoors or out, you’ll notice they quickly expand to fill any available space. Not only does the parent plant expand dramatically season after season, but they also produce tiny plantlets next to them to naturally spread.

To properly care for your aloes, you will need to repot at some point. But, if your aloe has pups, this is prime time for dividing too. Separate all those pups that are big enough to grow on their own and plant them into their own containers to expand your aloe collection.

Follow these steps to divide and repot aloes:

  • Remove the plant from its existing container and remove some of the old soil. Gently tease the roots to identify possible divisions.
  • Remove any plantlets that are several centimeters tall and that have their own roots. They may split when pulled, but denser aloes can be cut with a sharp pair of shears to split them.
  • Fill new containers with a succulent and cacti soil mix, or a combination of potting soil and river sand to improve drainage.
  • Plant each division into a new pot to grow on its own. Press around the base to settle and air pockets. If the soil was not pre-moistened, water to encourage the roots to grow outwards into the new pot.

Images: Madison Moulton