It's not just a sunburn soother. Grown at
home, aloe vera can provide some tropical
flair to your desktop or garden as an easy-
going succulent. Keep your potted friend
happy with these quick care tips.
Growing Aloe Vera
Good news for black thumbs: Aloe has
won over many home gardeners for its
hardiness and tolerance of forgetful
waterers. To keep it happy, plant aloe in a
terra cotta pot with well-drained dirt . Your
best bet is to mix equal parts sand and
potting soil or buy a special succulent mix.
The terra cotta also dries faster than other
plastic or glazed containers.
Repot your aloe if the weight of the plant
causes tipping, but otherwise don't worry
about giving it lots of space. This plant
thrives in snug conditions.
Place your aloe in a bright, sunny place .
Otherwise it will go dormant and stop
growing. Water the plant heavily about once
every two weeks, waiting until the soil dries
out fully. Since this is a desert species,
keeping the dirt moist will cause the roots
to rot. Limp or brown leaves also signal
you've overdone the H20.
If you like, you can move your potted
plant outdoors for the summer, but don't
put it in direct sunlight right away.
Gradually place it in a brighter spot every
few days to prevent overexposure.
What You'll Need:
Aloe Plants: 3 Mature Aloe Plants From JM
Bamboo ($31, amazon.com)
Special Soil: Hoffman Organic Cactus and
Succulent Soil Mix ($11 for 4 quarts,
amazon.com)
Perfect Pots: Goodman and Wife Round
Terra Cotta Garden Planters With
Individual Trays ($23 for 2, amazon.com)
Growing Aloe Vera Outdoors
If you live in a warm climate year-round
(Zone 10 or higher on the USDA Plant
Hardiness Map), you can nurture your
aloe outside. Freezing temperatures will
kill the leaves, but you really have to worry
about frozen soil, as that will kill the roots
and no new sprouts will grow.
When picking a spot, look for a well-
drained bed. You won't need to water your
aloe with the exception of droughts. If it
hasn't rained in months, give it a good
soaking and then let the soil dry out again.
Caring for Aloe Vera
As a bonus, your aloe will produce a tall
stalk of small, bell-shaped flowers from
time to time. Once the blooms fade, you
can snip the stem off at the base.
Even better, aloe plants also produce new,
smaller plants perfect for propagation. If
you notice one of these "babies," dump out
the dirt and tease apart the roots of the
different plants, replanting in separate
containers.
If you're keen to give aloe plants to
friends, you can try starting your own plants
by cutting off a few leaves. Trim to about
3 inches from the leaf tip; then put the cut
ends down in a container of potting mix.
While not every one will take, some will
sprout tiny new leaves at the base. Wait
until this new plant grows a few inches
before repotting again.
Harvesting Aloe Vera
Besides providing pretty decoration, aloe
leaves contain a clear gel that's a popular
home remedy . According to the Mayo
Clinic, this substance may shorten the
healing of first- and second-degree burns
and promote wound healing. Applying
aloe gel to the skin could also help reduce
acne and redness caused by mild to
moderate psoriasis. However, the Mayo
Clinic does not recommend ingesting aloe as
eating too much could cause kidney
damage.
With this in mind, you can snip off an aloe
leaf (as close to stem as possible) when
you need it and rub the juicy end on a
sunburn or sore spot.
Some people also like to use aloe vera
juice as a hair conditioner, makeup
remover, or even brow gel. While there's
no guarantee it'll work as well some of
your favorite products, you can get more
of the juice by slitting the spike lengthwise
and scooping out the contents with a
spoon. As long as your plant stays healthy,
it'll just keeping making more!
alovera is a natural product.it is very helpful for our body,we drink its juice and gives our body peaces and healthy.