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

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

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!

"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

In message , datsy
writes


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!

Actually it will only do this if it gets enough sunlight during the
daytime so you are probably wasting your time growing it in a north
facing window.


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!

That almost certainly means it is some other species of aloe. Aloe vera
sells itself to the public instantly so there is a temptation to
mislabel.

Perhaps your have A. millotii from your rather short description.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

"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!

The amount of Oxygen given off by your aloe during the course of the
whole night will be less than one small puff of breath, so you won't
be losing much.

Franz

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

"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

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!

On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 18:31:21 +0100, "datsy"
wrote:



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!


By spikes I presume you mean the leaves. But I'm not sure I understand
this 180 and 90 degree bit. Most aloes produce their leaves all round
the stem, with one or two exceptions (A. plicatilis comes to mind, but
I doubt you have that from the images you gave links for).

My SiL calls all aloes 'Aloe vera'! Aloe vera is a stemless aloe. All
the leaves grow from the base, forming clumps, and it spreads
laterally by side shoots and suckers. What you have is unlikely to be
A. vera, but what it actually is, is difficult to say. There are many
aloes with stems and with broadly similar appearance. Some have a
rambling, scrambling habit where the stems may extend for several feet
(A. ciliaris can reach 20ft). If yours is a scrambling aloe, you'll
always be having to support it if you want it to grow upright, as
that's not it's natural habit.

But as others have said already, they need as much light and sun as
possible. Whatever it is, it's probably being drawn by the lack of
light.

Incidentally, a quick calculation suggests your bedroom already
contains roughly somewhere between 5 and 10 kilograms of oxygen. The
amount produced overnight by an aloe (or any plant for that matter)
would be trivial in comparison, as Franz has pointed out.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net