My aloe plant is leggy- it's about 2 ft across and growing sideways, How do I repot it.?

If it's Aloe Vera, it doesn't take too kindly to being overputted, I usually keep mine until they are pretty much pot bound, and then increase pot size little by little. If it's growing sideways, it suggests 2 things - either straining for light, or else it would benefit from some support.

Depending on your location, they are good outdoors during summer, and this will strengthen it. Try to put a support in place, just be reasonably careful not to damage the roots. If it was outside, you could use something external to train it more vertically. Unless it looks totally misshapen you can ease it up, a little more each week, eg. using twine, and just tighten it a little more, and each time the plant will adjust - hope that's clear, it's a bit like hoisting something up, bit by bit - stiff plants are the hardest, but Aloe's are softer and more supple.

Ease it out of its pot - if you can, otherwise, I have to break off the occasional pot, where roots are jammed in (but think you'll be ok). Choose a pot around 1/2'' bigger, between the edge of yours and the new one. Get some potting soil, and add 1/4'' gravel or broken pot to the bottom of your po, to help with drainage.

Ensure that you firm the soil down really well, so that there are no air pockets left in (these cause root drying out, and plant damage). You can could use an orchid potting mix, but I just add some grit and perlite to standard potting mixes, which helps drainage.

From now, I'd introduce your plant to a sunnier position, as it may have been straining for light which caused it to grow sideways. You can do this gradually too, to prevent any shocks. Then it can be left outdoors as soon as there is no danger of frost, though I start with a few hours a day, over a 2 week period.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

Aloe vera is so very hardy, it's easy to repot it. I turn my pot on its side, tap it gently all around, and carefully remove the whole mass from the pot. Then I gently start separating the pieces of aloe from each other. Once you disentangle all the roots you will be surprised at the actual amount of aloe you really have. Simply place a few pieces in new pots and watch it grow. I always give away some to friends and relatives when I repot. My aloe seems to do better in the shade on my deck, in indirect sunlight.