The beautiful yellow or orange flowers of the aloe vera plant typically bloom in the springtime. For your plant to bloom, it has to be healthy and at least 4 years old, so be patient if your plant is younger. You can increase the likelihood that your mature aloe vera plant will bloom by giving it more light, feeding it properly, and by removing the baby bulbs.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Giving Your Plant More Light
- Relocate your indoor aloe vera plant throughout the day to follow the sun. Different areas of your home may experience changes in light as the sun moves. Keep note of the sunniest spots and move your aloe vera plant accordingly to give it at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.[1]
- For instance, place it on your kitchen windowsill so it gets 3 or 4 hours of morning light. Then, move it to a table in your dining or living room for 3 or 4 more hours of midday and afternoon sunshine.
- Do this every day during the winter and spring months to increase the chances that your aloe vera plant will bloom. The aloe plant will not bloom in any season other than spring, so don’t try to force it to bloom during the summer, fall, or winter.
- Keep your indoor plant in a place that’s 55°F to 80°F (13°C to 27°C). Sudden temperature changes can cause the leaves to turn brown. Keep the plant in an environment with a stable temperature between 55°F and 80°F (13°C and 27°C). Placing the plant in direct sunlight in a room that’s already relatively warm could be too much heat for the plant, so be mindful and check the leaves for signs of burning.[2]
- Don’t put the plant in a place where its leaves are touching a window. The excess heat or cold coming from the window could burn the leaves and cause browning.
- If you see any brown sunspots appear on the leaves, move the plant to a cooler room and only give it indirect sunlight for 4 to 5 days until the sunspots go away.
- Avoid placing the plant next to a heater, A/C unit, fan, television, or any other source of heat or drafts.
- Move your aloe vera plant outside if it’s 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C). The easiest way to make your aloe vera plant bloom is to give it more direct sunlight. The ideal temperature for aloe vera plants to bloom is 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C), so if you live in an area with a mild climate, move your plant outside.[3]
- If it gets colder than 60°F at night where you live, you’ll need to bring your plant inside.
- Choose a spot that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.
- Use an indoor UV lamp on cloudy days if you can. An indoor grow lamp is the perfect solution to make up for cloudy days. Choose a white fluorescent or a red or blue LED grow lamp and position it next to your aloe vera plant. Adjust the head so the light shines directly on the leaves from above. The distance from the bulb to the leaves depends on the size of your plant.[4]
- For example, if your plant is to wide, position the bulb to away from the top of the plant.
- A white fluorescent LED lamp will give you a soft, white light that will complement any room, but a red or blue LED lamp might be better able to give your plant the right kind of photosynthetic light it needs.
- If you notice the leaves start to turn brown after using a grow lamp, decrease the power of the lamp if you can or, decrease the amount of time you use the lamp.
- If you have 2 plants that are each across, place them side by side and adjust the bulb so it’s away from the tops of the plants.
- Water the plant once a week when the top of soil is dry. Wait until the top to of soil is dry before watering the plant. It’s important to let it dry out a little between waterings because too much moisture can cause root rot, bruises on the leaves, and attract diseases. If you’re not sure, stick your finger into the top of soil to feel for moisture.[5]
- Exposing the plant to more light will make it dry out faster, so stick to a regular schedule so your plant doesn’t get too dry if you forget to do it on the 7th day.
- If the soil is slightly damp near the tip of your finger, don’t water it for another 1 or 2 days. If it’s sopping wet, leave it alone for 1 week.
- Slowly pour water onto the soil until you notice water draining from the pot’s drainage hole.
- If you’ve placed your aloe vera plant outside, bring it inside or cover it when it rains so it doesn’t take in too much water.
[Edit]Fertilizing Your Aloe Vera Plant
- Choose a fertilizer that says either “8-8-8” or “10-10-10” on the label. Use a granular fertilizer intended for foliage plants. Houseplant fertilizers that specify they’re for flowering plants typically have high amounts of salt and phosphorus, which can dry out the roots of your aloe vera plant.[6]
- The 3 numbers on plant fertilizers correspond to the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
- Worm castings, manure, or compost are great alternatives to store-bought fertilizer.
