Need advice/tips for repotting my Aloe without breaking him

[Clara]

I live in Casper, WY and I Have a Huge Aloe Vera that needs repotted but Im affraid of breaking him. For our climate he is rare, even for a house plant. He is 4' 2" tall, 38" from side to side and has about a 3" (stock?) Im not sure if that is the right word for an Aloe. I know this must sound kind of ridiculous, but I've had Henry forever. Can anyone give me advice, tips of the trade or (an old family secret) :-} for repotting this old beast without breaking him? I would so appreciate any ideas. Thank You

[pm4cls]

Sorry, I cannot give you any advice. I am just posting for a school project.

pm4cls

[David Hare-Scott]

Which school sends you here to waste time and look like a fool? How is this part of your education?

David

[David Hare-Scott]

I would have several people on hand to do this. You need lots of pairs of hands to hold the plant by several places so not too much strain is put on any part, to hold the pot etc. Have the new pot and its filling ready, lay the old pot on its side with people holding bits of the plant up and then tap the old pot off the root ball. Clean it up and then all together lift the plant the right way up and put in the new pot, stand it up and fill in as usual.

D

[David E. Ross]

Are you sure this is an Aloe vera and not an Aloe arborescens (tree aloe) or some other Aloe species? It seems quite large for Aloe vera.

Rather than preserving an old Aloe vera, I took leaf cuttings to start new plants. When they were well rooted, I trashed the parent and used its pot for the cuttings. I have to do this about every 4-5 years as the plants eventually become overgrown.

[Dan Espen]

Pretty large for an Aloe Vera.

We have one that keeps forming leaves up the stalk then eventually breaks off and falls on the floor. New plants start from the bottom.

Not sure it would be a good thing to take it out and re-pot with the stem buried deeper. Anyway our technique is benign neglect and we've had the plant for ages but it doesn't seem so old that we've named it.

[Pat Kiewicz]

repotted but

anyone

Multiple people, and careful but snug wrapping of the plant before attempting to remove the pot.

It might even be best (for the plant) to carefully break the old pot to remove it rather than risk tugging on it.