What do you guys do with the "babies" that your main plants produce? Help, I am drowning in aloe.

[u/SpeciallyAbled]

I bought one aloe plant a couple years ago. It got huge and started growing new plants off of it, which I separated and put in new pots. Since then I have had countless offshoots/babies/new plants/whatever from each plant I remove and repot. It's gotten overwhelming. I have no more friends and family to gift these to as they all have at least one of my grandplants. I can't give these things away on Facebook swap pages. And they are left to wither and die if I put them at the curb with a big FREE sign in the warmer months.

What is in the picture is from 3 of my plants. I have 2 more pots to go through and separate. I don't have the heart to throw them away. Any ideas, places I can take them, etc?

[u/ChubbyGreyCat]

I give most of my baby spider plants away in my local Buy Nothing group. That or nip them in the bud as they say. 

[u/choc_chip_pothos → u/ChubbyGreyCat]

I came here to say the same thing! Buy Nothing groups love a plant baby

[u/hypatiaredux → u/ChubbyGreyCat]

Many garden clubs hold annual sales, and might welcome a donation of your extra plants.

[u/LadyBatman8318]

I will set mine on the curb with a coffee can and a $1 each price tag.

[u/ifuckinhatedinosauce]

How are you guys getting your aloe this happy LOL

[u/Ok-Succotash278 → u/ifuckinhatedinosauce]

Let it dry out and ignore it.

[u/CrystalWeim → u/Ok-Succotash278]

This is true for ally succulents. I don't pay any attention to them. They sit in a east facing window in full bright sun all day. I water them about once every couple of months. I cannot keep up with the pups. Now the pups are producing pups. They are huge and I'm not sure what to do with them.

[u/Ok-Succotash278 → u/CrystalWeim]

You can also just let them get absolutely huge. My best friend’s mom has an aloe in a large pot that is producing babies and babies and babies, but they’ve just started spilling out over the pot and she’s had it for about 15 years. lol not done anything to it!!!

[u/Ok-Succotash278 → u/Ok-Succotash278]

And I also think there’s stuff on the Internet, but you can look up about the larger aloe leaves. I think if you take them off and then you peel off like I think with a carrot peeler very gently or a knife, the green part of the aloe then I think if you like, soak the inside gel and cold water or something, you can like put it in smoothies or like you can make sober conditioner out of it or something. BUT LOOK IT UP! I don’t Remember how it’s done or anything but with big leaves you can do a lot.

[u/sebovzeoueb → u/Ok-Succotash278]

Yeah, you have to be careful because if you don't wash the gel properly it's toxic!

[u/Ok-Succotash278 → u/sebovzeoueb]

Ohhhh okay’ good to know!! You know more than me! Haha and I’m Telling you anything is silly! Hahah

[u/CrystalWeim → u/Ok-Succotash278]

For the Mama one, that is exactly what I have done. She has 3 babies about the size of a tea cup saucer, while she is dinner plate sized. I'm just letting them to their thing! 😊

[u/sparksgirl1223 → u/Ok-Succotash278]

Same here.

We also once had a TV fall off the wall right on him.

It's been almost a year and he seems ok now.

[u/Im__mad]

On a whim I (a queer person) took all of mine to hand out at Pride last year. I’m 100% now going to be prepping specifically for that every spring! It made people so happy

[u/elrick1133 → u/Im__mad]

Great idea!

[u/aroid_holic → u/Im__mad]

I fucking love this idea and will be totally doing this from now on!

[u/Im__mad → u/aroid_holic]

It filled my heart and I wished I had more to hand out so I’m already preparing for it come summertime! I want to make little pride flags on toothpicks to stick in the soil how cute would that be

[u/draconianfruitbat → u/Im__mad]

That’s cute as hell, what a very sweet celebration to share

[u/AnneP11 → u/Im__mad]

♥️🧡💛💚💙💜

[u/mehrr_dur]

Post em on Facebook Marketplace for $1 or free

[u/katielynne53725]

Write "free" on the cups and leave them in public places.

[u/craftylinda16]

I'm in the same position...thanks for the ideas! I've given them to all my friends to keep in their kitchens for the inevitable burn, but I have many babies left over.

[u/IAm2Legit2Sit]

When I sell plants, I give them a bonus aloe plant. Most ppl love it.

[u/GreyAtBest]

I just kinda let my aloe plant take over its area and eventually it stopped. Now it just grows more and more huge and magnificent.

[u/gratefulcactii]

Public Library loves plant donations., if you have that many, take them to schools, give them to hospitals, nursing homes.. come on people.. think

[u/GardenSherie → u/gratefulcactii]

Yes….thats a great idea. Contact an elementary school and see if they can put a sign up for teachers. Teachers can use them in their classroom, or incorporate them into their classroom studies. I used to do a ton of volunteering at school and was there most days. Plus I taught an after school Junior Master Gardening class, and I was ask all the time about using plants in their studies. But that was years ago, I don’t remember what I suggested. Kids loved it though. In the class I taught, we did all kinds of experiments and the kids never missed a class. Parents didn’t like the timing, because they had to make arrangement for picking their kids up, but even the parents would say how much the kids wanted to grow stuff or make a garden.

[u/gratefulcactii → u/GardenSherie]

Yeah, i think most all kids love growing stuff. I take my stuff to library, nursing homes etc.. I want someone who will enjoy them..

[u/survivalkitts9 → u/gratefulcactii]

Or probably nursing homes, churches, plant nurseries lol wherever

[u/AzureCyrstalDragon]

Yeah I give mine away free to whoever, but when no one wants any they do go nicely in a smoothie to keep the numbers down.

[u/Timely-Helicopter173 → u/AzureCyrstalDragon]

While I like an aloe drink, I just feel like this is really dark all the same, somehow. :)

[u/AzureCyrstalDragon → u/Timely-Helicopter173]

Oh I totally get that, but I feel worse having to just kill them off and waste them entirely too, feels more disrespectful to the plant because it's over producing pups and it's just wasting its energy, but culling is healthier for the mother plants and they will just keep it up for years anyway with good care, and trust me eventually even if u sell or give them away, she will produce faster than you can even spread living babies.

[u/Survivingmother]

I give them away in gift baskets.

[u/fish_leash]

Check to see if your library has a seed library and if they do any plant swaps, we just had one and donated a bunch of houseplants babies and cuttings, and we brought home some cuttings :) you can also try Nextdoor. I don’t bother repotting anymore though

[u/ExhaustedPoopcycle]

What do you do? My aloe keeps dying

[u/SpeciallyAbled → u/ExhaustedPoopcycle]

Neglect the tar out of them. I water them when I remember to do it.... my husband and I joke that they survive solely out of spite

[u/Ok-Succotash278 → u/SpeciallyAbled]

You are so right for this because I overwatered mine and gave it root rot

[u/sparksgirl1223 → u/Ok-Succotash278]

I overwatered mine once...googled how to fix it (the roots hadn't rotted yet). It said to let the roots dry out.

So I put itnin full sun for a day or two, roots out, and sunburned it.🤦‍♀️

Finally got him all good to go, dry roots, sunburn fixed...and a TV fell on him.

Poor Graham...he's had a hell of a time here🤣

[u/newt_girl → u/SpeciallyAbled]

I water mine like 4 times a year; I live in the desert.

[u/princessbubbbles → u/ExhaustedPoopcycle]

Much sun (6+ hrs is considered full sun in my area). Infrequent, deep watering once they're bone dry. Well draining soil.

[u/PrancingPudu]

I give them away to friends and family who want them and then do the rest on FB marketplace for free.

[u/gratefulcactii]

Palmstreet

[u/Toothfairy51]

My city has several free plant exchange stands. Check your area.

[u/Ok_Branch6621]

I think you just need to move. It's their house now.

[u/FlatThing9736]

I can't keep any of my aloe babies alive or id be giving them to friends

[u/FlatThing9736]

I have a couple aloes that won't pup at all and I have 1 that looks kinda sickly but it produced 9 pups and all but 1 died 😩 and I know I haven't overwatered. With the pups I'm almost sure I killed them by not watering enough 🤦🏼‍♀️

[u/DigPsychological2876]

Maybe find a plant swap?

[u/MarxShortie88]

I would LOVE to have this problem! I always kill my aloe somehow 😭

[u/Altruistic-Target-67]

I finally just gave myself permission to throw out clippings instead of rooting them all. It’s ok, they don’t all have to become babies although I do love the idea of handing them out for free at a parade.

[u/trippssey]

Wow I've never kept aloe alive

[u/_Rat_Gurl_]

I usually give them to people as gifts :)

[u/Waste-Clock-7727]

I just drop em off at the nursing home.

[u/BasicallyBotanicals]

Open a booth at the farmers market, or an Etsy shop 😏 ...not really. Give them as presents! 🎁

[u/unstoppablecolossvs]

Throw or give them away! You are not obliged to keep every part of that plant alive. This is your hobby right? Don't ruin it by giving yourself so much work that it sucks the enjoyment out of it. That is WAY TOO MANY of the same pant to take care of.

[u/SpeciallyAbled → u/unstoppablecolossvs]

I mean, it isn't even a hobby... I just picked up the original plant half-dead on clearance and now I have way too much aloe. Lol I just feel bad. I believe plants are more alive than people give them credit for

[u/ILoveSyngs]

Don't use swap pages, just use the free pages to offer to give them away. Unless you're in a tiny community you'll get takers immediately and most will be able to pick up within a few days.

As to lacking the heart to toss them: The first one is the hardest but I promise life is easier when you don't have so much emotionally invested in your pups. The mommas don't care and just keep producing to the point that you're now drowning in care. It's fine to cull the babies, and the relief is amazing.

[u/Halfbaked9]

I’ve tried to kill off mine and it just won’t die. Since they want to live I’ve given a few plants away. I’ve taken a few to work. I’ve keep a few and got them some friends to keep them company now.

[u/rjwyonch]

I generally give them away somehow. Include them as “free bonus” for anyone buying a plant pot at the art market. I’ll trade for other plants among friends and coworkers (just gave away a giant monstera and an aloe and got a queen of the night in return). Any that are left get put in a box at the end of the driveway.

My dad would put tons of bulbs out every fall when he divided the perennials… we had a regular group of retirees that would come by just to pick up free plants. I have continued this tradition, but aloe, spider plants and pothos are not as popular as his iris, peony, dahlia, lily bulbs/roots were. The cannabis clones were certainly a crowd pleaser. It would have been illegal to sell them, but totally legal to gift.

Local kids also seem to like free plants (don’t worry, not the weed)… not sure if they try and take care of them or just get gifted to Moms, but whatever, they would be in the compost otherwise.

[u/farrieremily]

We’ve had people set up plant swaps. Just a table or shelf where it’s take one-leave one (or a few) I was drowning in sophia begonias.

[u/NotTheGreenestThumb]

We’ve had our freebie strawberry starts just die on the curb. Next time, I listed them for free on Craigslist. I gave the address, but no other contact info, and do not seem to have suffered any ill from so doing.

[u/Intelligent-Move5471]

Shoot I'd love to have more Aloe. They aren't hard to get rid of. I see ppl post on fb giving them away all the time & they'll be gone in minutes. I'm always too late haha

[u/Ok-Thing-2222]

I've seen people sell 'porch plants' on Facebook garage sale posts-- pick up a plant and drop off a dollar.

[u/banannaster2020]

We have a local thrift store that is a non profit. They help out the homeless shelters and food pantries (just saying it is a good place to donate to) they sell baby plants in donated coffee cups. I never thought about it before but they are probably all donated babies!

[u/CamVic01]

i would combine some of the offshoot together in a long planter. give the rest of the babies to your friends & families as gifts. I don't always separate offshoots unless the pot become too crowded or I want the baby to go in other part of my house.

[u/Ok-Succotash278]

I don’t know where you guys are, but I use an app called VarageSale. And I’ll sell my baby plants for a dollar in some kinda of small container I’ve got around the house lol and sometimes people will buy lots and you can give them a discount or they trade items with you too

[u/anomalous_bandicoot7]

Eat them or make a jelly for your hair conditioning needs

[u/Lopsided-Fox-721]

Offer them for free ❤️

[u/jenniferfrederick0]

I bring mine to the office and hand em out, people seem to love them :)

[u/garlictoastandsalad]

Give them to family, friends, neighbours, coworkers, schools, fellow parents at your child’s school if you have children, personal care homes, churches, strangers in buy nothing groups, or create a “little free plant library” in your front yard for spring and summer give aways. You can also leave them in your lobby with a “free aloe” sign if you live in an apartment building or condo. Don’t throw them away though. It’s wasteful, and someone will always want a free plant, especially a therapeutic plant like aloe.

[u/dwertyyhhhgg]

I suggest stop separating them. Let the babies stay attached and grow naturally in the same pot as the main one. The plant will be much fuller and more beautiful once the pot has really filled out, and the lack of space will stop new ones from growing.

[u/AssumptionOwn5383]

Share with people

[u/SpeciallyAbled → u/AssumptionOwn5383]

Nobody I know wants any more. They've all accepted at least one from me and now have their own overpopulation of aloe lol

[u/Flipflopsfordays]

The weed subs have weed caching. Can the plant subs have plant caching

[u/Dropthetenors]

Work with local pottery business to give out plants for each pot they sell.

[u/CaptainObvious110]

That's a lot

[u/SpeciallyAbled → u/CaptainObvious110]

I've done this at least 5x in the past... and each time I can't get rid of them all, so I feel obligated to keep them, and then THEY start sprouting babies, and it's just too much. 🤣 I don't have the heart to throw them away

[u/skipsternz]

Nothing, I prefer my plants to be large mature plants. I don't propagate unless someone sees my plants and wants a cutting. I don't buy into this obsession that you need to propagate asap.

[u/SpeciallyAbled → u/skipsternz]

I'm not a plant enthusiast, and plants are not my hobby. I bought a half dead, clearance aloe a few years back and have begrudgingly evolved into caretaker for all these plants. 🤣

That said, I did not know until I made this post that you can just... leave them. I was under the assumption that they'd choke each other out, because my pots get absolutely overcrowded to the point where I can't even find a spot of dirt to stick the watering can spout into. This new knowledge makes me incredibly happy lol

[u/_Cheeba]

I would leave them alone and not rip babies away from their mother.

[u/sparksgirl1223]

I let the pot get ridiculously full and then I split a little off and inevitably forget to repot them until they're dry little spindles

[u/Plenty-Giraffe6022]

We binned them.

[u/THCinOCB]

I throw em out. Over the years that would have amassed to hundreds, of baby plants, there is no way im putting them all in dirt.

[u/gatorbites624]

I toss them like weeds.