PLANT SAVING


I bought a pot of Aloe Vera as mentioned in "The Garden". It looks good in the first year, it grew bigger, so I repotted it into a larger pot. Since then, my Aloe Vera plant seems stop growing and sometimes it changed leaves colour on its tips. 

 

I looked up on the internet for the answers of my questions. The problem normally relates to the soil, if the soil is too wet which may caused root rotten. I then take my plant out for an inspection, the roots were partly turned brown. I left the plant out the whole day, hopefully can dry the roots a little so as the soil in the pot, I placed the pot under a sunny area. I then put my plant back into its pot and did not water it for the first week. 

 

Its leaves slowly turned back to greenly colour again. I then kept the watering routine to less frequent. But after several months, the tips of colour changed to purple brown again, so I took the plant out and checked its condition. This time, the roots were all rotten, I thought my only Aloe Vera plant may not be survived, so I searched on the internet for any solutions to save it or to propagate Aloe Vera.

 

 

For the propagation, there are a few ways to do it. However, not much on how to save my plant. Until I saw one video, it showed me something I never heard of, is to stem planting. The idea really blow my mind, because how can a plant grow without its roots? Thinking of all its roots were damaged and rotten anyway, having the rotten roots or remove its bottom part of the stem seems no big different between them in fact.

 

It was the last chance I can save my plant. So, I watched the video carefully and repeatedly before going ahead to do it on my plant. I cut the lower part of the stem, removed the unhealthy leaves, air dried the plant for a week and put it back to the pot where the soil was dry enough. At the end of the video, it mentioned the root should regrow in few weeks time depending on the environment and condition.

I nervously waited and waited, looking at its leaves. The healthy greenly colour seems indicated me that the plant is still alive because after the cutting, it did not getting any worst; but gives me hope. After four weeks, I took the plant out and checked on the stem, nothing (still bare root). I put it back and keep waiting, at least it still look green and healthy to me, be patience then as it is a type of slow growing plants as well, I told myself. 

 

During the whole waiting period, I prayed to God that, please help look after and save my plant. Because I am afraid of watering it too much, I didn't water it at all during the first two weeks. So, sometimes when the weather is rainy, I will think and thank God to help me watered it, for He knows much better than me. When in sunny days, I will think and thank God on giving it the sunlight (of course not only mine, but for all the plants, trees and all the living things.)

 

A week later, on a sunny day, I have a look and checked the stem. It has a very little bumpy thing on the edge of the stem, maybe its the root. Yeah ~

 

I checked on it a few days later, that bumpy things grows a little longer, that's right, it's the root, my Aloe Vera starting to regrow its own root. Thank you Lord for letting me have a chance to watch that video, can learn a new way of planting. Lord, I thank You for showing me how amazing the life is.

 

Personal Reflection:

We are no perfect, and is rotten in someway. I thought of one of the Promises Jesus made to those who pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

 

"Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite Mercy...I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My Mercy."  (Diary of St. Faustina, 687)

  

We are all precious in the eyes of God, even those souls were like my Aloe Vera plant, all the roots were damaged and rotten, in the ignorant people point of view, may see no hope in their eyes, just like me, thought that my plant is going to die without healthy roots. But if the person turned to God and trust in His Mercy (similar to my case, to explore and find help), and determine to leave the old sinful way of life ie. cut out the rotten part and start anew. He will give them a new Life in return, like my Aloe Vera plant, regrow new root and be saved.  

 

 

If you like our work and want to support us, please click here. Thank you.