WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Aloe spp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water aloe in California

In July in the Central Valley, established aloe in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 19 gallons a week. Aloe carries a water reserve inside thick, fleshy leaves. Its rosette needs soil that drains freely and dries between soakings. Thin leaves can signal thirst, but a soft base in damp ground calls for a drainage check before more water.

ShrubTreeSucculentRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water aloe, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for aloe and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Thin, lightly wrinkled leaves on an established aloe can signal thirst when the soil is dry
  • Soil dry about 6 inches down outside the rosette is a better watering cue than a dry surface
  • Brown leaf tips can follow drought, salt buildup or cold, so check the soil before watering
  • Soft, translucent lower leaves in wet soil can indicate rot, though freezing can cause similar damage
  • Bronze or reddish leaves can follow strong sun, cold or drought and do not establish thirst alone

How to water it

  • Apply water around the aloe and keep it out of the center of the rosette
  • Wet the soil about 6 to 8 inches deep, then let it dry before watering again
  • Use drip emitters or a slow hose trickle to avoid filling the leaf cups
  • Spread gravel mulch around the clump, keeping the lowest leaves clear
  • Plant on a raised mound in clay, and widen the watered circle as pups spread

Through the seasons

Check a newly planted aloe's small root ball through its first warm season, letting it go almost dry between soakings. Established clumps need less frequent attention. Aloe is evergreen, though the oldest lower leaves dry and shrivel as it grows. Many landscape aloes flower in winter and early spring. Coastal and Central Valley winter rain can replace irrigation when the soil is wet. In the deserts, check during dry winter spells and water only when the root zone has dried. WUCOLS rates aloe low water in all six climate zones.

In pots

Potted aloe vera needs a freely draining container and gritty cactus mix. Check below the top two inches in summer heat, and wait if the mix underneath is still damp. Water thoroughly until excess leaves the drainage holes, then empty the saucer. Keep the rosette clear of standing water. During cool, rainy weather, move the pot under an eave if the mix stays wet, and continue checking it before watering.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.300.610.921.20.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.300.610.921.20.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Aloe: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.310.30.31
Feb0.210.260.320.350.370.37
Mar0.350.430.460.520.580.61
Apr0.470.610.560.640.760.78
May0.580.830.640.780.950.98
Jun0.640.990.690.921.141.12
Jul0.641.070.7911.221.14
Aug0.60.950.740.931.121.04
Sep0.50.720.60.740.860.83
Oct0.350.470.460.530.580.6
Nov0.190.220.330.360.370.38
Dec0.120.140.260.270.260.27
Year4.86.846.27.378.518.43

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated low water in the Central Valley, like aloe. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFig TreesFicus carica ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPomegranate TreesPunica granatumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyEucalyptusEucalyptus polyanthemoslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPine TreesPinus canariensislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes aloe, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water aloe in summer?

In July, established aloe in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does aloe need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established aloe needs about 2.7 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 11 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for aloe change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates aloe separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, low water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, low water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Can you overwater an aloe?

Yes. Persistently soaked ground deprives aloe roots of air and can rot the base of the rosette. Stop watering if the base softens in wet soil, and check drainage.

How should I water indoor aloe vera?

Indoor mix can dry more slowly than mix on a patio. Check below the surface before watering, and let excess water drain away. A plant stretching toward a window needs more light, not extra water.

When should I water after repotting aloe?

Let damaged roots dry before the next soaking. Once watering resumes, drain the pot completely and allow the mix to dry again.

Do aloe pups need extra water?

Avoid keeping a separated pup in soggy mix. Let the cut surface dry before planting it in gritty mix, then use only light moisture while it roots.

Why are my aloe leaves wrinkled?

In a potted aloe, water can escape around a dry root ball without moistening its center. Check the center before repeating a soaking.

More plant watering guides

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Sources