Aloe Variegata, bit of advice please?

[JonNo]

I wonder if I might beg a bit of advice, please?

Early this year, I purchased a young Aloe Variegata by mail order. Not long after it arrived it became apparent that it had already suffered some quite nasty bug damage, but I persevered with it, potted it up, watered and fed it, tended and cared for it, and the damage is well on the way to growing out now - it seems happy enough.

I stopped watering it a few weeks ago, along with my other plants, all of which are "house plants" in that they live on a window sill in a centrally heated house. I intended leaving it dry over the winter.

But... About three weeks ago it started throwing out offsets, of which there are four now. So, the question is, while it is doing this should I continue to water it? I don't want to lose Mother plant or any of the offsets through dehydration, but at the same time with this being the "dry season" presumably it should be ideally be kept dry for the next few months?...

Advice would be appreciated, many thanks in anticipation.

[Diane]

Given that you have it in a centrally heated house, I think you would be best to give it an occasional watering. It’s a succulent, not a cactus (which should have a winter dormant period) so a little water occasionally should be fine. Just don’t overdo it!

[JonNo]

Thank you Diane, much obliged.

[MikeT]

For me, Aloe variegata does better as a house plant, with some water occasionally over winter, than when it's in the greenhouse with no water at all over winter. The greenhouse goes down to freezing, so it's much cooler than an indoor windowsill.
As Diane says, don't overdo it.

[JonNo]

Thank you.

[Terry S.]

Gonialoe variegata grows over a wide range in the western part of South Africa and as such receives its rainfall during the winter months. Therefore it is largely a winter-grower and you will need to water it over winter as a house-plant but not to the level that growth becomes unduly elongated.

For what is supposed to be a beginners plant, many of us have problems with this species and I wonder if it is because we overwater it in the summer, when in the wild it would be dormant?

[JonNo]

Gonialoe variegata grows over a wide range in the western part of South Africa and as such receives its rainfall during the winter months. Therefore it is largely a winter-grower and you will need to water it over winter as a house-plant but not to the level that growth becomes unduly elongated.

For what is supposed to be a beginners plant, many of us have problems with this species and I wonder if it is because we overwater it in the summer, when in the wild it would be dormant?

Interesting. Thank you Terry!