Can't seem to keep up with this Aloe polyphylla's growth

[Spination]

LOL, what would I need another acre for?

[Stan]

I'm really amazed. I have a nice oak wine barrel I can move it into, and now I see that would be futile. It's only 24" wide at the top, inside diameter. If this thing adds another 1" a month, @ 18", it won't be but 6 more months before even the 24" wine barrel will be insufficient. Knowing they can get some 3' across, it looks like I should start shopping for a 36" container, and then not worry about it again after that.

Home Depot sells a nice faux oak barrel..stained and maybe some varnish. Its not 25 g,maybe 20g at most. Looks almost large enough for full grown plant. But- IF full grown are the size at UC Berkeley,then you would need like a 50- 60 g shallow.

Mines grown. Its on its way. No more holding it back.

[Spination]

I have a dozen real ones laying around, given to me. I guess that's one fringe benefit of living smack in the middle of wine country. I used water sealer inside and out on one already, and fixed it up nice enough. I was going to use it for the big polyphylla, but it will be outgrown too fast, so too little too late. I have 2 options. Build a mound made of fast draining medium, and plant it out .. or get a 36" diameter pot, which I see they do actually make. I kind of like the idea of rolling up a dolly, and wheeling it somewhere else any time I feel it advantageous. I have a few more months to figure it out.

[Steph115]

I can definitely understand your hesitation to put this in the ground. I'll be interested to hear what you decide to do!

[Stan]

I have a dozen real ones laying around, given to me. I guess that's one fringe benefit of living smack in the middle of wine country. I used water sealer inside and out on one already, and fixed it up nice enough. I was going to use it for the big polyphylla, but it will be outgrown too fast, so too little too late. I have 2 options. Build a mound made of fast draining medium, and plant it out .. or get a 36" diameter pot, which I see they do actually make. I kind of like the idea of rolling up a dolly, and wheeling it somewhere else any time I feel it advantageous. I have a few more months to figure it out.

Oak rots too fast. Its why its not used for decking. Some people have told me they got 10 years out of them...I would guess that's 10 dry soucal years and with xeric plants in them. For free sounds good...but then you have to deal with an established plant in a rotten wood pot..or it roots into the ground.

[Spination]

Wood sealer. Paint it on, it's clear, soaks in and seals the pores - instant life of wood extender. Already did that.

[Stan]

I feel a groundswell of Aloe polyphylla rising all over the internet. NO wonder its driving prices up.

[Viegener]

It's mostly pretty amateur gardeners who are buying it because of the spiral symmetry. My guess is most of those will be dead soon enough. It's terrible when nice plants hit those garden design blogs.

[Spination]

The seedlings I've been putting out there include detailed instructions based on my successful experience keeping them not only alive, but thriving. If you just know a few critical factors, growing them is really not that hard at all. The "hard to grow" reputation of the plant is greatly exaggerated from what I've experienced first hand. Aside from over-potting, excellent draining mix, avoiding a dark colored pot, watering daily... mine receive no other special care. It takes me 3 minutes a day to water all mine first thing in the morning. Once a year, they get an upgrade in pot size.

[Stan]

I once killed one in a week one summer. The center rotted. It was in my back yard and I think now,probably stressed already as it had been over potted by the nursery.
My second one years later is a clone that's tough as nails. I've made plenty of mistakes in 7 years with it. Plus,its never had a single pest ever. It just HATED being in ground,in clay. It now in some old leftover potting soils mixed with lots of gravel and perlite. Low humus suits it too I guess.

[mickthecactus]

Mine have 50% orchid compost mixed in.

[mickthecactus]

Has there been any mention of germinating seed in water?

[Viegener]

This is where you N CA growers have the advantage. I've never seen a happy polyphylla in S CA.

[mickthecactus]

I've seen huge plants in New Zealand.

[Stan]

As we got close to 100f? It started to slightly close. Not a plant for hot climates. I hosed it down..even the outside of the pot.

[Spination]

I was away for the weekend, which worried me, not that I was leaving the frying pan here (knew it was going to break 100F) and entering the fire (visited daughter in the valley where it was much hotter!)... but that I have been watering my polyphylla (s) every morning, without fail, and knew I was going to miss 2 days that were going to be hot. I gave 'em another blast very early Friday AM, and got back today. They haven't skipped a beat. In fact, here's a fresh shot of the big 'un, 9 days after the last photo, illustrating visible continued growth progress. Now, counting leaves, my taped leaf is 8 visible leaves spiraling into the core - 2 new leaves visible in 9 days. I'd say it's growing fast and strong. It's still positioned getting early sun, then filtered sun into early afternoon, and then full sun from early afternoon to evening. So, even skipping 2 days of water into pretty hot weather, I can't see anything that tells me it suffered whatsoever.

2017 06 19 Aloe polyphylla a.jpg (73.65 KiB) Viewed 2536 times

Which begs the question. It was hotter here than where you are...so why would your plant be showing any stress? I'm looking at the weatherdotcom forecast too for Sonoma vs Hayward side by side, and I see we're averaging 10 degrees hotter expected every day than you. We have 96 today, 95, 98, 103, 93 on tap for the next 5 days...while you're showing 86 today, 80, 88, 94, 86 for the next 5 days. Logic dictates that if the heat was already bothering your plant, and if they just don't like the hot weather, then mine should be literally melting by now. They're not.

Is you plant overpotted? (the extra soil around the root ball acts as an insulator)
What kind of pot? (clay dries out faster than plastic)
What color pot? (dark color pot - big no no!)
Do you water daily? (mine love daily watering - soaking)
As mentioned many times, mine are: overpotted, white plastic skirts around black plastic pots so not to absorb heat from direct sun, and watered every AM (except I missed Sat and Sun when it was scorching hot here).

[Steph115]

Unreal - I am really enjoying seeing this insane progress your "big'un" is making.

One thought regarding your plant's hardiness in hot temps: I wonder if it has to do with their upbringing. If I remember correctly, you've had your seedlings in your hot & steamy greenhouse ever since they were quite young (perhaps even since germination?). I imagine this period likely provided them with prolonged/life-long acclimation in adapting to the only slightly hotter & more sunny outside environment. I know that your plant is several years old, but I've always been told that a plant's juvenile growth really determines its hardiness later on.

[Spination]

I know to a point, that acclimation does influence subsequent hardiness. For example, slowly adjusting a plant's exposure to sunshine vs shade, over time. As far as my plants tolerating heat beyond what is the usual expectation, or at least reputation for this species - I really think it's all about taking into account the plant's needs, as well defined by Alan Beverly's available information. Not allowing the roots to get cooked in hot weather has a lot to do with my success. Also, watering heavily as they are accustomed to in their natural environment, is also a favorable factor. Not only do these plants tolerate heavy watering, wet soil even as it drains during the day stays cooler than dry soil. Allowing for ample space for the roots, with over-potting also achieves a similar effect as the additional soil around the root ball has an insulating effect. In combination, I really think it's these conditions of culture which are allowing me to enjoy success growing them in hot weather. Global warming is real, and locally, we are currently experiencing yet more record heat... so, I think my plants will be further tested over time. So far, so good.

It was also comforting for me to find out that missing a couple of days of my regular routine of daily watering didn't do any harm, in spite of temps breaching the century mark.

[Stan]

It was as temps neared 100 I could see a slight artichoke affect. Its looking ok now as temps have moderated a bit. I know in ground - in normal soils,it quickly went south as summer went on. The warmer it is- the faster the soil drainage must be. In soucal,it might be best to plant them in gravel and liquid feed. Just a hunch.

[Spination]

http://www.ecotree.net/article_2.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would skip down to the "Habitat" section, and read the first part describing their natural conditions. Bottom line, is that in natural habitat undisturbed by excessive cattle and sheep grazing, the plants have access to relatively constant water flowing across their roots. The grassland bog acts as a reservoir slowly releasing the water.

Essentially, by watering my plants each morning, I am simulating to some extent their natural environment. The soaking of the pot in the morning, followed by the subsequent draining during the day which then allows aeration of the roots, without completely drying out, seems to be giving my plants an acceptable balance of water and air that they like, and which is also apparently allowing them to deal with heat, without visible detriment. I use cactus mix out of the bag, and it is obviously providing adequate drainage needed. As I understand it, these plants like a lot of water, just not sitting in a stagnating pool of it.

[Spination]

Latest photo of growth. The tape-marked leaf is getting further and further out to the edge of the rosette, and I count 9 clearly visible leaves spiraling into the center now. It's the middle of summer, and it's still growing, as evidenced by the series of photos.
Also, the photo was just taken after 2 PM, plant in full sun, and it's 96 F in the shade. Yesterday, it was 102 F at 1 PM. I don't see one sign of heat stress whatsoever.
I am watering every morning.. ( missed 2 AMs a couple of weekends ago).

2017 07 08 Aloe polyphylla a.jpg (266.3 KiB) Viewed 2474 times

[Stan]

I watered mine today..I thought I could detect it closed up a bit. Its growing..it really looks like something now Tom. 2 days ago I found it almost on its side...dogs had knocked it over. The rootball must have fill that pot of gravel pretty fast,as it held well.
Yours is close to spiral. I see Jay has a whole group of them planted out in almost pure gravel mounds. He must have a dozen going.

[Spination]

Clockwise spiral.

Your plant in post #16, another clockwise spiral.

[Steph115]

Guys - it's happening! I had a feeling a couple days ago, but this morning there it was. On one of my seedlings, there are two new leaves visible at once & definitely not distichous. I'm so excited. It was rough there for awhile!

[Spination]

Awesome.