Aloe Vera Plant

Planting and care – Aloe Vera Plant

It can be planted outdoor as well as indoor. Plant in a bright, sunny location in a well-drainage pot. Do not plow so much deep as the leaves may get the infection from the soil. Cover the root ball when planting but do not let the leaves touch the soil. You can make the perfect soil by mixing perlite, sand, and regular potting soil. A south-facing window would be an ideal spot for an indoor Aloe plant. You can propagate it by the division or stem cutting.

Caring for Aloe vera Plant

• Use porous and well drainage pots as they provide good drainage.
• Avoid keeping in harsh hot sun and damp soil.
• Water a plant when the soil feels dry to touch.
• Feed once and a while during their active growing season.
• Reduce watering in the winter as it goes in a dormant condition.
• The crowded plant should be divided and re-potted to promote healthy growth.

How to Harvest Aloe Vera

Harvesting aloe leaves extends past the acquisition stage and into the preparation stage. Just getting a healthy leaf will get you nowhere if you don’t know how to prepare it properly. Aloe leaves contain a yellowish sap, called aloin, which can be very bitter and cause stomach upset in some individuals. After you harvest an aloe vera plant, hold the cut end down so the aloin can run out. This will keep the gel from tasting so bitter. Wash the leaf then lay it flat on the table and cut off the serrated edges. Start on one side and filet off the skin, much like you take the skin off a fish. Continue removing the skin on all sides, including the yellowish layer, until a clear to white, translucent flesh is exposed. This is the good stuff and is ready to use after a quick rinse.

How to Use the Aloe Gel Aloe

in its purest form can be pureed with a fruit smoothie or juiced with other vegetables and fruit. It can also be cut into cubes and preserved by freezing for a month. The jury is still out in the scientific community as to the health benefits, but many users feel the plant is useful as a digestive health supplement. Either way, the live plant juices are a good nutritional supplement just as any leafy green and the texture adds interest to juices. In addition to harvesting aloe for its nutritional benefits, you can pick the leaves as needed for the treatment of minor burns or scrapes. Just squeeze the juicy sap onto the affected area for instant relief.

Typical uses of Aloe vera

Special features: Medicinal properties and low care plant.

Ornamental use: Aloe vera has been widely grown as an ornamental plant in the pot and in the rock garden.

Medicinal use: Aloe vera is used in traditional medicine. It has been used for a variety of ailments.

Note: Please consult your health expert first before applying externally and internally.

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References:

• WikiHow