Soil for Aloe vera
Use a coarse cactus or succulent-style mix for Aloe vera, with mineral or aerating material and a pot that drains. The target plant is also recorded as Aloe barbadensis.
Check how the mix holds water and air
Best soil mix
Use a coarse cactus or succulent-style potting mix with mineral or other aerating material rather than dense garden soil. NCSU and Penn State frame Aloe vera as a succulent houseplant needing a freely draining medium. No universal percentage is established.
Use a container with drainage holes and empty collected water. Slow-draining soil and repeated wetness increase the risk of root rot in Aloe vera. Good drainage is not a reason to omit watering completely.
Separate indoor and outdoor advice
Match the mix to the pot and setting
This recommendation is for Aloe vera, also recorded as Aloe barbadensis, in an indoor container. Summer outdoor placement can change drying and sun exposure and should be treated as a separate seasonal context.
Use an exact target only when one is known
Soil pH
Check the pot, watering and roots too
When soil alone is not the problem
Sources
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Plants of the World OnlineTaxonomy; synonymy
- North Carolina State University Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxDescription; Cultural Conditions; Problems
- Penn State ExtensionSoil; Potting; Watering
- Royal Horticultural SocietyCompost; Watering; Containers