I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a stick in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it or
strengthen it?

Thanks!

In message , datsy
writes


I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a stick in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it or
strengthen it?

A lot more light!!! In mid summer it will be happy enough outside on a
warm S facing outlook. Be sure to rescue it before any risk of frost.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

A friend grows this plant and the pot is filled with it,with no spare
compost to be seen.I think that as the plant grows and expands,it will
support itself. regards Roy

wrote in message
...


I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes
growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it
got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a stick
in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it or
strengthen it?

Thanks!

A friend grows this plant and the pot is filled with it,with no spare
compost to be seen.I think that as the plant grows and expands,it will
support itself. regards Roy


The problem with my one is that the spikes come out vertically rather than
spreading out. The "stem" (for want of a better word) is only the thickness
of a finger.


I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes
growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat
rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round
and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it
got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to
the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a
stick
in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it
or
strengthen it?

Thanks!

Sounds to me as if your plant is in need of some good light, by the sounds
of things the poor devil is having to search for light so is not growing
upright and compact.
Try putting it somewhere where it can get full light.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"datsy" wrote in message
...


I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a stick in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it or
strengthen it?
Thanks!

Put some nice pebbles in the pot and around the stem to support it :~)
Or maybe repot deeper?

Mine goes outside in the summer so it gets 360 degrees of sunshine.

Jenny

Sounds to me as if your plant is in need of some good light, by the sounds
of things the poor devil is having to search for light so is not growing
upright and compact.
Try putting it somewhere where it can get full light.

--

Now this does actually make sense as it's in a north-facing bedroom. Reason
for this? Because aloe vera gives off oxygen during the night - apparantly
most plants do this during the day - so aloes are recommended as bedroom
plants! I'm going to have to forego my oxygen to save my plant!

I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes
growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat
rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round
and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it
got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to
the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a
stick in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it
or
strengthen it?
Thanks!

Put some nice pebbles in the pot and around the stem to support it :~)
Or maybe repot deeper?

Mine goes outside in the summer so it gets 360 degrees of sunshine.


I do like the pebble idea! I did have to repot it deeper earlier in the
year - it is the bottom which gets weakened because I take the bottom spikes
off when I use them for skin problems. It's only been 3 or 4 over the 18
months that I've had it and I have repotted to allow for this.

I posted back earlier that the light could be a problem as it's in a
north-facing bedroom. However, I've just looked at the one that I've got a
couple of feet away from the window in a south-facing room and that's
growing in the same shape as its mum (now with 3 babies of its own - these
things are worse than rabbits!) and growing towards the window. I'll try
taking them out but this is Scotland and we haven't actually seen that much
sun around here!

"datsy" wrote in message
...


Sounds to me as if your plant is in need of some good light, by the sounds
of things the poor devil is having to search for light so is not growing
upright and compact.
Try putting it somewhere where it can get full light.

--

Now this does actually make sense as it's in a north-facing bedroom. Reason
for this? Because aloe vera gives off oxygen during the night - apparantly
most plants do this during the day - so aloes are recommended as bedroom
plants! I'm going to have to forego my oxygen to save my plant!



Buy a different plant "~)

Here's a book that lists various other options :
http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/amazon/...sin=184188121X

Jenny

Now this does actually make sense as it's in a north-facing bedroom.
Reason
for this? Because aloe vera gives off oxygen during the night -
apparantly
most plants do this during the day - so aloes are recommended as bedroom
plants! I'm going to have to forego my oxygen to save my plant!



Buy a different plant "~)

Here's a book that lists various other options :
http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/amazon/...sin=184188121X



Yes, I've already got this book - it's very good.
Going back to my aloe vera - it looks nothing like the one in this book
which has broad "leaves" growing at 90 deg. to each other. Mine has very
thin spikes growing at 180 deg. It was labelled as an aloe vera! But none of
the pictures I see ever resemble it!

In article , datsy
writes


Buy a different plant "~)

Here's a book that lists various other options :
http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/amazon/...sin=184188121X



Yes, I've already got this book - it's very good.
Going back to my aloe vera - it looks nothing like the one in this book
which has broad "leaves" growing at 90 deg. to each other. Mine has very
thin spikes growing at 180 deg. It was labelled as an aloe vera! But none of
the pictures I see ever resemble it!


In that case it probably isn't an aloe vera! There are a lot of
different species of aloe - I have 5 different ones sitting out on my
terrace atm.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"datsy" wrote in message
...


Now this does actually make sense as it's in a north-facing bedroom.
Reason
for this? Because aloe vera gives off oxygen during the night -
apparantly
most plants do this during the day - so aloes are recommended as bedroom
plants! I'm going to have to forego my oxygen to save my plant!



Buy a different plant "~)

Here's a book that lists various other options :
http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/amazon/...sin=184188121X



Yes, I've already got this book - it's very good.
Going back to my aloe vera - it looks nothing like the one in this book
which has broad "leaves" growing at 90 deg. to each other. Mine has very
thin spikes growing at 180 deg. It was labelled as an aloe vera! But none of
the pictures I see ever resemble it!

Might it perhaps be an Agave ???
Jenny

Now this does actually make sense as it's in a north-facing bedroom.
Reason
for this? Because aloe vera gives off oxygen during the night -
apparantly
most plants do this during the day - so aloes are recommended as
bedroom
plants! I'm going to have to forego my oxygen to save my plant!



Buy a different plant "~)

Here's a book that lists various other options :
http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/amazon/...sin=184188121X



Yes, I've already got this book - it's very good.
Going back to my aloe vera - it looks nothing like the one in this book
which has broad "leaves" growing at 90 deg. to each other. Mine has very
thin spikes growing at 180 deg. It was labelled as an aloe vera! But
none of
the pictures I see ever resemble it!

Might it perhaps be an Agave ???

I've just done a Google image search on Aloe Vera and the images that came
up included varieties which had the broad leaves and ones with long spikes
at 90 deg. The image which seems to resemble mine is this one:
http://davarree.free.fr/Aloe.Vera.JPG

I've also had a look in the book mentioned above for other possibilities to
get oxygen at night in my north-facing bedroom - seems as though the snake
plant might be the one.

I've just done a Google image search on Aloe Vera and the images that came
up included varieties which had the broad leaves and ones with long spikes
at 90 deg. The image which seems to resemble mine is this one:
http://davarree.free.fr/Aloe.Vera.JPG


Just found another which just about looks like mine:
http://laurenharman.tripod.com/portf...mages/aloe.jpg
except the spikes on mine are even more pronounced at 180 deg. And the
problem of it flopping over was caused by those huge spikes at the top as
mine are bending in the same way!

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 13:06:44 +0200, "JennyC" wrote:


"datsy" wrote in message
...


I've got an aloe vera plant indoors - the type which has the spikes growing
at 180 deg. rather than 90 deg. and the spikes are eventually flat rather
than upright It had been leaning towards the light, I turned it round and
it started growing back. But with a lot of new growth coming through, it
got
too top heavy and just flopped over today. It's only a hand's width to the
growing tip but the new spikes are about 9" inches long. I've put a stick
in
to support it but it looks a bit silly. Any ideas on how to support it or
strengthen it?
Thanks!

Put some nice pebbles in the pot and around the stem to support it :~)
Or maybe repot deeper?

Mine goes outside in the summer so it gets 360 degrees of sunshine.

Do you live within the arctic circle?
--
Martin

No Martin, I have it in a gyroscope...................
Jenny