People have been growing aloe vera plants for many years. It is one of the most widely used medicinal plants on the planet. Apart from medicinal properties, did you know it can also be used as a soothing agent to treats all types of skin issues, used as a perfect hair conditioner without any side effects to get shiny and smooth hair? If you are nodding your head and wondering how to grow aloe vera plant in your place? we are here to tell you everything from planting to harvesting and enjoy its benefits through this article.
Aloe vera plant has dark green leaves that grow in a fan formation from the plant’s main stem. As these leaves contain toxic properties, you must avoid your children and pets to eat them.
How To Grow Aloe Vera Indoors
Aloe vera is an excellent succulent that grows well in a wide pot. Make sure the container has adequate drainage to avoid rotting while planting aloe vera in a wide container with a potting mix.
- Choose a spot where it gets a minimum of 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight for its healthy growth.
- Water your aloe vera once or twice a week. Because overwatering leads to damage of roots. Test the dryness of the soil using your finger before watering it again.
- Using fertilizer is crucial while growing aloe vera indoors. Fertilize about a month in the spring and summer with a balanced formula mixed half strength.
- When the plant becomes root bound, you must repot it in a large container.
Propagating Aloe Vera
Healthy aloe vera plant produces buds that can be used to produce new plants. Check out for those new offsets that are attached to the mother plant and cut them using a sharp knife.
Now, prepare containers by adding a potting mix to repot these buds. Place this container in a sunny spot and wait a week before watering and water alternate days after that.
How To Grow Aloe Vera Outdoors
If you live in zone 9 or greater, you can place your indoors aloe Vera in the garden during summer. Even some gardeners experience success with growing the succulent in protected outdoor areas even in zone 8.
You can place those pots in a shady location to a minimum overexposure of the sun. Freezing or cold temperatures may kill aloe vera easily, but if the soil doesn’t freeze the plant can survive easily.
If you’re planting aloe vera directly on the ground, look for well-draining sunny locations. While growing Aloe Vera outdoors water them once in a month if it hasn’t rained and let the soil drained out completely before watering again.
Harvesting Aloe Vera
- Once you see the plant with green large leaves that touches the ground and lush. Just cut a leaf from the plant and slice it’s lengthwise using a sharp knife.
- Remove the gel out of it and apply directly to your skin or any affected areas to heal them.
- To harvest in large amount, cut the whole leaf as to close to the stem and slice each open lengthwise. Trip the pricky edges of the knife.
- Scrape out the gel using a spoon and store this gel in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can even store this gel in ice cubes strays for longer storage in the refrigerator.
How To Use It
You can use aloe Vera gel in many ways and it is best known for treating skin injuries.
- Aloe vera contains powerful antioxidants that can inhibit the growth of certain bacteria that cause infections in humans.
- It can easily kill plaque producing bacteria in the mouth and prevent diseases of gum and tooth decay.
- Aloe Vera is known to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and radiation dermatitis.
- Aloe Vera gel heals mouth ulcers and reduces the pain associated with them.
- It is also used to treat seizures, asthma, colds, bleeding, lack of menstrual, depression, diabetes, joint inflammation, etc.
I hope you like the information on how to grow and use aloe vera. if you think your friends have to learn this please share it on your social networks.
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