The tiger aloe or Aloe variegata is a succulent and is very easy to care for. However, getting them to bloom requires a little effort. Since tiger aloe is poisonous, it should be kept out of reach of small children.
How do you properly care for the Aloe Variegata?
Caring for Aloe Variegata requires a lot of light, warmth and dryness. Plant them in cactus soil, water little and pay attention to waterlogging. Fertilize with cactus fertilizer every 2 to 4 weeks from April to September. Note that this plant is poisonous.
Planting Aloe variegata correctly
It is best to plant your tiger aloe in cactus soil. Loosen normal potting soil with a little sand. Since the Aloe variegata does not tolerate waterlogging, create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. This means excess water can drain away straight away.
With a height of up to 30 centimeters, it does not require a particularly large flower pot and does not need to be repotted often. If you want to encourage your tiger aloe to bloom, then give it a dry season followed by a simulation of the rainy season.
The correct watering and fertilization of the tiger aloe
Like all succulents, tiger aloe does not need much water because it is used to drought. Allow the top layer of soil to dry a little before watering again; this will not harm the plant. Also make sure that no water accumulates in the leaf axils, as this can easily lead to rot. It is better to only water the tiger aloe directly at the roots.
Special cactus fertilizer that you can mix into the irrigation water is suitable for Aloe variegata. This way the nutrients are optimally distributed. Only fertilize your tiger aloe approximately every two to weeks during the growing season from April to September.
Is tiger aloe suitable for hydroponics?
Although the tiger aloe can also be grown hydroponically, this form of culture is not ideal for this succulent. It tolerates dryness much better than too much moisture. Therefore, never give it so much water that the display shows “ideal”, but rather enough so that the minimum amount of water is displayed. This means your Aloe variegata can survive a holiday lasting several weeks without any problems.
The most important things in brief:
- very easy to care for
- needs a lot of light and warmth
- can tolerate drought better than waterlogging
- water little
- fertilize every 2 to 4 weeks from April to September
Tip
If your tiger aloe is not blooming, it may be too young, it is too dark, or it “misses” the dry and rainy periods of its homeland.
