How to Grow Aloe Vera in Northern California

Gardeners in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 to 12 can grow Aloe vera outside year-round. But northern California is just a shade too cool for treating the succulent as an outdoor perennial. Instead, grow aloe in a pot so that you can bring it inside during the winter. Other than protecting aloe from cold, about the only other precaution you'll need to take for the famously carefree plant is to avoid overwatering it.

Growing container (slightly larger than nursery pot)
Perlite-based potting soil
Gritty amendment (e.g., builder's sand, vermiculite or greensand)
Trowel
Watering can
Slow-release, high-phosphorus granular fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a pot based on the size of your aloe's root ball. Aloes prefer a snug fit in the pot, so the size of the first container should allow for the root system to take up about two-thirds of the pot. The pot should have drainage holes.
- 2
  Mix 3 parts potting soil to 1 part gritty material (such as builder's sand, vermiculite or greensand).
- 3
  Work about 2 to 3 tablespoons of slow-release granular fertilizer into the potting mix, unless otherwise specified on the package.
- 4
  Fill the pot about one-third with potting soil and place the aloe plant in the container. Increase or decrease the potting soil if the crown isn't level with the top of the pot. Put additional potting soil around the roots of the plant.
- 5
  Set the pot outdoors where it will receive full or dappled sun, and is protected from the wind. A deck or patio, which has the built-in windbreak of your home, is ideal.
- 6
  Check the soil's moisture content every three weeks or so, depending on what the pot is made from -- terra-cotta dries soil out more quickly than plastic or wood does. Aloe requires only "very moderate" watering during warmer months, according to the University of California Davis Botanical Conservatory.
- 7
  Bring the aloe pot indoors in November, or when temperatures go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
- 8
  Set the pot on a sunny windowsill or another place where it will receive direct sunlight.
- 9
  Water less frequently once the aloe is indoors and the temperatures are cooler. The plant is ready for another dose of water when the soil dries out completely.
- 10
  Fertilize with 2 to 3 tablespoons of slow-release granular fertilizer once a year, in early spring.
- 11
  Lift the aloe plant from its pot once a year to see if it is outgrowing its pot. If the roots are running in circles or it seems to pressing against the sides and bottom of the container, move the aloe to a new pot, again using a mixture of potting soil and a gritty medium.

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