You can't - Aloes don't regenerate from leaves. If your Aloe doesn't have pups, I'd trim off the largest leaves and repot it, in fresh soil, in the pot you have it in now.

Thank you; I'm not sure how to take care of its height though. I could trim off the lower leaves and put it back in the pot with fresh soil, but it will still be tall and ready to topple. Just to give perspective, all of the leaves are about the same size; there are some smaller ones here and there, but the bottom leaves are about the same size as the top leaves. It's kind of strange that way; not like other aloes that are broad at the bottom. It's tall and skinny. It gets a lot of light throughout the day, but maybe not enough direct light? Maybe that's made it tall and spindly? Thanks again.

Also, a little confused because the FAQ on aloes says:

"If it has no roots, let it callus over, place the cut/broken end ON the soil, and support it with top dressing. DO NOT WATER IT-it has no roots, so watering the soil will likely cause rot. Instead, mist it every few days. Roots should start forming within a month. When growth is evident, it can be watered."

Thought this was talking about leaves/cuttings? Thanks!

If the plant is etiolated, grown tall and spindly from lack of light, the only way to correct it is to cut off the top and re-root. This will require a lot of patience, and willingness to trust that the plant has enough water stores to last until it has time to grow roots, this might take a couple of months. If you don't correct the light problem, it will resume its un-natural growth pattern.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm just guessing it's tall and skinny because of the light. I guess there are thousands of aloe species, but most I've seen are shorter and broader. It's not very old, so maybe that's why there are no pups yet.

paracelsus, if I cut off the top and re-root it, should I let the cutting dry (callous) for a few days/weeks and then put it in cactus mix or should I just set it down on top of the soil surface and secure it with gravel (don't want it to rot). Thanks!

VBL,

"If it has no roots, let it callus over, place the cut/broken end ON the soil, and support it with top dressing. DO NOT WATER IT-it has no roots, so watering the soil will likely cause rot. Instead, mist it every few days. Roots should start forming within a month. When growth is evident, it can be watered."

This is NOT talking about leaves...Jeff is right about not propagating aloes from leaves...it can't be done.
This quote is talking about the base of the actual plant...where all the leaves emerge from. If there is damage, you cut the base (what might look to you as a giant root) and let that callous over before planting. I did this with mine and I got roots after about 2 months, but I live in WI and it was winter.
What kind of aloe are we talking about? I think we are all assuming Aloe vera, but there are a few tree aloes...just want a little clarification. :)

Nancy

vbl,

A picture would enhance our knowledge greatly, and the help rendered thus far would even be more expeditious and to the point, too. We try hard to stamp out unnatural growth patterns, and would like to help you do it, too.

Just cut off the stem at the top about six inches down and plant it in dry soil, wait a week and water, this time of the year it can take sun, and lots of air. Air helps prevent rot or molds it also requires good light so it won't grow tall. It does not like living in the house, in a tiny pot. I don't mean to be so frank, but I'm trying to save your plant. It will not grow from a leaf, it will grow from seed, offset, or stem. Norma

What Norma said, just don't give it a whole bunch of direct sunlight all at once. Gradually give it more and more light so that it can get accustomed to the difference and not sunburn.

got a aloe cutting and i would like to know how to root it the right way only have 1 piece somebody plz help! thanks

I'm guessing you have enough for a plant - a picture would help us, but the Aloe FAQ is likely to answer your question.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aloe Facts and Suggestions

I have the same problem.... just chop off the top half maybe?

Maybe, but the same advice goes as before.

Having the same issue with 2 of my 1yr old aloes.(too tall skinny and thin leaves). Got that we cut off 6" from top of stem, but someone said wait for it to heal before replanting and someone said replanting after I cut..which is best?

Jennifer, please post a picture of your plant, but waiting to callous over a few days after cutting is what to do.

Thats the first one, just came off of vaca so i will give the babies a new home this wk, but do i cut it off or will they thicken up do you think? Heres a pic of the worst one.

They are both soo thin and stringy compared to my others

Maybe they should get more light?

Ive tried moving them around and if you can see on the left is a thriving aloe in same spot, maybe but not sure hah. I just know they are too tall and too thin with barely any gel in leaves.

I don't grow these, but they look starved for light to me. With that lovely garden, I would keep it outdoors. I am sure Jeff or someone else with knowledge about them will post...(would have been better to start new thread rather than continue one from 2011, IMO).

Since I grow my plants outdoors all year long, I will be the first to admit that I have difficulty in helping folks who grow plants indoors. More so when a plant seems to need more light, as yours does. But I do not think your plant looks like an Aloe vera, if that's what you were thinking. An Aloe, yes, but not Aloe vera.

Some Aloes have the leaves attached as your plant does. These do tend to have a longer stem appear on them. Like this Aloe 'California' (and no, I am not positive on the ID that was on the tag). I hope you can see the stems, but the leaves are attached just like yours, just closer together from the full sun.

Growers who DO have to bring plants indoors may disagree with me, and that's fine. Like I said, it is difficult for me to say since I have different growing conditions.

As for cutting off the top and rooting it? Sure, that can be done. This is an A. vera that I was repotting. You can see how the roots form around the stump. I accidentally ripped off all of the roots on this pup and only had the crown to pot up. Now it looks fine.

Good luck!

The tall, skinny aloes next to the window are aloe arborescens. AA grows as a bush 6' x 6' in SoCal. Propagation is simple: cut off and stick in the dirt. AA branches laterally as well as from base and has red flowers in winter. The last picture could be aloe vera which is a better choice for a potted plant as it is basically a stemless aloe, produces yellow flowers and pups profusely from the base. With most aloes, water sparingly, lots of sun, fertilize lightly. Aloes are African plants; there are hundreds of varieties. Large species are found in many low water landscapes in the American Southwest. The flowers are loved by hummingbirds.

6' x 6'? You grow them as dwarf plants, is that it?

I'm also suffering aloe woe.

I have a ten year aloe, pictured below, which I believe to be a Vera but am happy to be corrected on that point. She has pretty much grown too tall for her pot at this point but I'm reluctant to put her in yet another larger pot as it's already challenging to move about. However I would very much like to save her as she has great sentimental value.

Bearing in mind I know next to nothing about gardening, is there a way to save and what would be the way to do it? Many thanks in advance!

Best way is to chop off the head and start over. One of the reasons it is so tall, is because it has been suffering from lack of light. Try to put it outside in the Summer.

Basically you will have to cut off the top, and let it callous for a little while (since your aloe is so big, it could take a week or more), then stick in dry soil and wait for roots. don't water until you see evidence of roots. I guess you could use rooting hormone if you wanted it to go a bit quicker, but it will also work without.

Best evidence of new roots (for those who may not know this) would be the appearance of new growth.

Pls don't lift the plant in & out to check for roots (which some folks think is OK to do, but isn't).

Thank you for the advice everyone! :)

I've got a similar dilemma. Long "trunk" with no leaves for inches, and the pot is overflowing with too-tall pups and it's tipping out of the pot. Time to dump it out on some newspaper and start sorting it out. ;)

Is this thread still alive? I'd love to know if I can cut the top off of this and replant. It was tiny and I replanted it in a bigger pot now it's going crazy lol

Thank you so so much!

That is not Aloe, but Haworthia. And very etiolated - how dark was it kept? They grow well even in lower light, so it must have been very dark. 'Going crazy' isn't good in this case :)

It could be rooted, just as many plants. Look at THIS THREAD to get ideas...

Oh wow! I actually inherited it and I'm trying to rescue it. Thank you for your help!! I'll check out the thread.

If this thread is still open could someone PLEASE help me save mine!! Should I do the same and cut the top of and put it in soil? is there any chance of saving it. And does anyone know the particular name for this type of Aloe?

It is a hybrid of aloe and gasteria, Gasteraloe, probably 'Flow'

I have one that got similar - not as etiolated as yours (see some pace between the leaves - that could be from being in same position too; thickness of the stem and the color of leaves); but as it aged, stem got bit too long. It grows quite well and compact, but got top-heavy with growing thick, juicy leaves and many offsets, some growing in-between the leaves. I just beheaded it few days ago. Here is the plant before:

Bottom part - original/beheaded stem with roots - should continue growing and having offsets too.

Btw, I would recommend for you to improve soil - it seems to be somehow water retaining: I never has so many dried up leaves with black spots. Very likely from occasional too much water or soil staying too wet for too long. That could be improved on very easily :)

Not necessarily, & tho' you didn't ask, I'll volunteer that pot looks a bit big for it. I saw your post of this question on another thread already. Kindly don't post same question in multiple places, it's not appreciated.

I guess you're new here, but pls have patience & allow a bit of time for folks to respond.