|
| I have had great success with this method. |
| To remove the dead material the cut has to be clean and preferably square
i.e. at right angles to the trunk or stem of the aloe. A little brown discoloration on the
fibrous core of the trunk is of no consequence as long as the outer hard rim is clean and
firm. |
| Next, a coat of Prune Wound Sealer is applied to the cut surface.
This will inhibit fungus and bacterial infection. The plastic film that forms when
the sealer dries will also prevent excessive loss of moisture. This commercial Prune
Wound Sealer is obtainable at farmers Co-ops and nurseries. I always apply three coats of
sealant, letting the plastic film dry thoroughly each time. |
| Take an empty tin and punch it full of holes - bottom and sides!
The treated aloe is placed in the tin and supported in an upright
position with stones(roughly the size of golf balls) No soil.
Place it in a protected area out of sun and rain and forget about it for six to
eight weeks. No water. |
| The aloe can be inspected by removing some stones . Soon the first
stubby yellowish roots will be noticed, protruding through the plastic film cover at
the base of the trunk. Now is the time to plant the aloe in it's permanent position,
before the root system fully develops. If the roots are left to grow longer they
damage very easily and rot might set in. |
| Some three years ago I bought a cutting from the giant Aloe dichotoma x
Aloe barberae hybrid at Worcester N.B.G. The curator, Mr. Ian Oliver
personally got on the stepladder and sawed off a truncheon, 30cm long and about 5cm in
diameter, with a tuft of typical Aloe dichotoma leaves. After the prescribed
treatment I put the aloe in a protected place, which is under the working table, and
completely forgot about it. |
| The leaves had almost all withered away when after 5 months I looked at
the aloe it again. Lo and behold, the truncheon had rooted ! It is now a
handsome plant, 1,4 meter tall with a trunk 13 cm in diameter at the base. Two heads
have already developed but the leaves are still in the long-leaf juvenile stage. In
another couple of years this will be one monstrous tree aloe. |
