Aloe vera care

There is a lot of aloe vera varieties, many of them with unique properties and characteristics. However, there are also general characteristics and properties that all the species of the family share, and they are the ones that we are going to detail here.

Aloe Vera Characteristics

Aloe vera is a shrub with a stem that reaches up to 30 cm in height, with large leaves up to 50 cm long arranged in a rosette. It produces an inflorescence that can reach a meter in height, with a bright yellow colour. Their fleshy leaves Due to their usefulness as water stores for the plant, they are jagged on their edges and are bright green.

Aloe vera properties for health

Aloe vera is one of the most used plants in the world due to its special composition, and has been used by man since the Egyptians left evidence of its use in the fourth millennium BC. C. Two products are extracted from aloe vera, which are used both cosmetically and medicinally: gel and acíbar.

It is widely used to treat most problems and skin conditions if used in ointments, in addition to for relieve pain. Ingested, it is also a very effective digestive and it is also used as a relief against constipation. Instead, rubbed with the teeth helps to whiten the enamel and remove stains from it.

Here you can learn more about Aloe vera: properties, benefits and contraindications and we continue in this guide to explain how to care for an aloe vera in a pot or in the ground.

Aloe vera can be grown both indoors and outdoorsbut in either case it is vital that you receive as much light as possible. It is a plant that can tolerate direct sunlight in spring and autumn, although in hot climates the direct light of the hours of greatest incidence can burn its leaves. If you see that its leaves turn brown, it means that the plant needs a more protected location and booster hydration.

Indoors, all you have to do is look for well-lit locations next to windows or light sources, protecting it in summer if necessary. If you plant your aloe in a pot, make sure it has drainage holes and a depth of at least 50 cm, as its roots need space.

The ideal temperature for this plant is warm and mild, between 17 and 27ºC. It can withstand high temperatures, but frost and cold below 10º C are very likely to cause serious damage to the plant. If the winters are cold in your area, you will need to move the aloe indoors during those months.

Like many succulents, Aloe Vera tolerates drought much better than overwatering. Although you need a certain level of light moisture to be maintained in your substrate, it is much more better to fall short than to exceed since, if you flood your land, it is very possible that root rot problems will appear.

Thus, the ideal would be to use the drip irrigation, or frequent watering but in a small amount. If you notice that the leaves of the plant are turning brown or wrinkled, it means that you need to increase the frequency or quantity a little. Here we show you how to make a homemade drip irrigation system.

Some tips that we offer you if you wonder how to plant an aloe vera are:

• To be a succulent, this plant requires a moderate amount of organic matter, in addition to sharing with the rest of the plants in the family its need for a light and very well drained substrate.
• In this sense, we recommend the universal mixture with peat, earthworm humus and coconut fiber in equal parts, to which add a good handful of vermiculite and another of perlite. Thus, you will get an ideal substrate for most plants, aloe among them.
• If the plants are in the ground, choose an area where the irrigation water drains well without flooding and add a good amount of earthworm humus or compost, while removing about 50 cm of soil to mix it and loosen it.
• If you plant it in a pot, choose one of at least 50 cm deepso that the roots have room to develop.
• The easiest way to play aloe vera is using one of the shoots or children of an adult plantwhich can be planted in suitable soil, always taking great care not to damage the roots.
• It is important not to expose the plant to the cold especially in this early period.

The ideal is to use organic and ecological fertilizers such as worm castings or compost. It will suffice to add about two fingers of fertilizer to the base of the plant every 15 days during the warm months. If you do not have these, you can use specific fertilizer for succulents, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

We also recommend you read this other article on How to make homemade organic fertilizers.

The main danger for aloe vera is the same as for most succulents: excess moisture that can cause root rot. Furthermore, it may be the case in exceptionally hot climates, where the plant do not tolerate direct exposure to midday sunin which case it is best to move the pot during those hours or transplant it to a semi-shaded place.

Here you can read about How to revive a plant.

If you notice that the tips of your aloe plant begin to turn brown and dry, what is happening is that your aloe vera is consuming the water from its own leaves due to the lack of it.

Therefore, with slightly increase the irrigation dose you should remedy this problem. However, increase the dose of water gradually, little by little, or you could incur the dangerous excess of humidity, just the opposite problem.

Aloe vera gel is beneficial for cuts, wounds, burns and even scars, as well as being a very good moisturizer for dry skin. Doing it at home is very simple, and you just need to cut some leaves from an adult Aloe Vera plant and follow these steps to make aloe vera gel:

1. In order not to further damage the plant, it is better to cut the outermost and lowest leaves, which are at least 20 cm.
2. Cut the toothed part of the sides of the leaf, and leave it to soak in water for a full day, changing the water every 8 or 12 hours.
3. After this time, open the leaves on only one side with a knife, so that you can see the gel. Help yourself with a spoon or spatula to extract everything and store it in a container.
4. If you want to maximize the properties of the gel and make it last longer, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and another tablespoon of wheat germ oil.
5. Beat it well on low or medium speed with a mixer, and you’re done.

In this other EcologíaVerde article we explain more about how to make homemade aloe vera gel.

Now that you know in detail the aloe vera carewe indicate that apart from this, there are more types of aloes which are popular in homes. You may also be interested in learning about the care of aloe aristata and other types of aloe vera.

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