How to Care for Aloe Vera Plants

Aloe vera is a very popular plant and knowing how to care for them is essential to its growth. For centuries, the plant has been popular for its health, beauty and medicinal properties.

This succulent, with the botanical name Aloe Barbadensis Miller, is a green coloured plant that grows primarily in dry atmospheres like Africa, Asia, Europe and America. The plant is easily recognisable with its triangular-shaped leaves that have serrated edges.

A singular leaf is made of three different layers. The leaf has an inner gel, which is clear in colour and contains 99% water. The rest of the gel is made from glucomannans, amino acids, lipids, sterols, and vitamins. There is a middle layer which is a yellow sap that contains anthraquinone and glycosides. The final outer layer has 10-15 cells which is a protective function, often called a ring that synthesizes carbohydrates and proteins.

In more modern times, you can find aloe to be a popular ingredient in consumer products such as drinks, beauty products like make-up and lotions, ointments and skin burn treatments. Additionally, you can find that aloe vera has been used as an ornamental plant, placed within households and grown for aesthetic reasons as well as the abovementioned uses. This makes it one of the most used plants in the world.

How to Care for Aloe Vera Plants

Since aloe veras are so popular, if you have them around your house or in your garden, you might be wondering just how to care for them. Whilst they are primarily house plants, it is not uncommon for them to be planted in spaces where they can thrive outside.

Due to the nature of its succulent roots, it is not a plant that needs watering on a regular basis because it stores water in its leaves. For this reason, it is thought that it is the perfect plant for beginners. It is low maintenance plant and on requires a bright spot.

In terms of essential care, you are going to want to ensure that you are not overwatering. This is the biggest threat to aloe vera plants. You should only water them when the top layer of soil has dried out. You want to ensure that the pot they are in allows for good drainage. A good pot for this is a terracotta pot. During the winter, do not winter them.

Placing your aloe vera plant near a windowsill is a great location. This allows it to be in direct contact with sunlight without the risk of leaf damage.

As the aloe grows, it will need to be repotted, but this isn't a regular occurrence and they are a slow-growing plant. They can benefit from feeding every other month and to prevent dust build-up, wipe the leaves gently.

When your aloe vera plant is mature, it can produce offsets which are essentially baby aloe plants that can be removed. You can discard this if you want, but it does have another use. You can actually replant the baby aloe you have removed and grow an entirely new aloe vera plant. If this is something you are wanting to do, follow the instructions below.

1. Using a set of secateurs, cut where the offset is connected to the main aloe vera plant. Ensure that there is around an inch of stem on the offset.
2. The offset will need to be set aside, away from the soil so that it can callous over where you have cut it from the original aloe. This ensures extra protection.
3. Get another pot of soil and plant the offset into the soil. Ensure the same conditions are applied as you have with the original plant.
4. Place them in a place with sunlight. Water them after a week.

Additionally, you will find that a mature aloe vera plant will flower. This means that a tall flower will grow. However, it is worth noting that this is rare for aloe plants that are kept indoors as a houseplant.

To aid the process of a flower, you need lots of light, sufficient water supply and the right temperature. You need to allow your aloe to get as much light as possible, perhaps leave them outside and allow them to be done so throughout the summer. Note that if you are going to choose this process, you should not move them outside in direct sunlight straight away.

Place it outside in the shade, before moving it into the sun.

This also requires the right balance of water, which can be a difficult balance. You want to make sure that it is not drying out, but is not overwatered.

Despite these, it is still unlikely that your house's aloe vera will bloom. However, this doesn't you cannot try!

Common Risks for Aloe Vera

As with most plants, there are diseases and pests that pose a risk to aloe vera plants. You should read the following risks in order to reduce the threat that they pose.

Gall Mites

The gall mite is attracted to aloes and can be noticed by the irregular growth of the base of the leaves. Additionally, if the aloe does flower, it can be crooked and clustered. Eventually, you will start to see clusters that form.

The mites travel through the air and if this is left untreated, it can affect plants for many years. You can treat them by cutting away the affected leaves with a garden knife and then treat the area you have with insecticide to prevent it from being spread. You can apply this to the whole plant too.

Snout Beetles

This is the biggest threat to aloe vera plants. They are just under an inch long and they tend to sit at the centre of the plant and place themselves between its leaves. It will feed on the leaf sap. Due to their ability to leave puncture marks in the plant, they need to be dealt with quickly.

They can mate and leave eggs sitting in the centre of the aloe and these will puncture directly into the stem. This can cause rot and destruction and then eventually the allow will be killed.

To get rid of snout beetles, you can cut the stack at the infestation, but sometimes it is better to completely get rid of the plant.

Root Rot

Root rot is a condition that happens with both inside and outside plants. With that being said, indoor plants are more susceptible since the pots can offer poor drainage. This can then cause the roots of the plant to rot and eventually die.

Unfortunately, root rot cannot be reversed, but steps can be taken before the plant dies entirely. Leaving it in conditions that encourage root rot will kill the plant. You can improve it with the following steps:

1. Let the soil dry out. This can be done by letting the air get to the soil and once the soil is dry, it can prevent the roots from getting damaged.
2. If your plant is experiencing browning leaves, then remove them.
3. If you do find some dead and decaying roots, remove them.
4. Remove the plant from its pot and repot it with new and clean soil. Ensure that the root system to not damaged during this process.

Stem Rot

Stem rot is caused by a fungus that is in the stem. This is most recognisable in aloe plants by dark brown and soft roots that will break very easily. This also causes the lower stems of the plant will be mushy. This is caused by overwatering with bad drainage and fungal infections.

The only way to help your aloe recover is to cut the plant half an inch from the root and let them to callous cover. They can then be planted the same as the offsets would be, as explored above.

Aloe Rust

This disease is caused by a fungus that causes infection in the form of black and brown spots that can be found on the leaves. It will cause the outer layer of the lead and it becomes black and hard.

This doesn't kill the plant, but it can make the plant look unappealing. You do not necessarily have to deal with this because as the plant grows, it can lose its leaves meaning they will fall off. You can prevent this from happening by not letting water stay on the leaves and having good circulation around the plant's leaves.

How to Harvest Aloe Vera

You can easily harvest aloe vera ad personally use it for its gel or turn it into juice. To do so, you require a mature plant and not one that is under a few years old.

The following steps show how to properly harvest an aloe vera plant.

1. Using clean secateurs, select up to four different leaves to cut and use the secateurs to cut close to the stem of the aloe. Note that a lot of the nutrients are found in the base of the leaf. Avoid cutting the root.
2. Wash and dry the leaf with water.
3. Trim the edges of the leaf to remove the serrated edges.
4. Use a knife to cut the outer layer from the interior gel.
5. Allow the yellow sap to drain from the leaf. This is the aloe vera latex which can be preserved and used if you wanted to.
6. You can prepare the gem from here how you wish.

Benefits to Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has a plethora of benefits which earned it its name as the 'plant of immortality' by the ancient Egyptians. Growing your own aloe vera plants give you easy access to the following benefits.

Sunburn & Wounds

Aloe vera has great healing properties and it can be applied to sunburn, burns, and cuts. It is thought to be a mild anaesthetic that can relieve swelling and pain. Aloe vera can help the symptoms of sunburn through its ability to reduce inflammation.

There are ingredients such as cyclooxygenase and bradykinesia that will reduce the redness, pain and swelling caused by sunburn. Aloe will also improve the dryness and elasticity of your skin by stimulating the production of collagen.

Rashes and Allergic Reactions

If you have a rash, then use aloe vera. It can be applied to the area and relieve symptoms. For instances like this, you want to use 100% based aloe vera products, so taking it directly from the plant is great.

This should not be used in cases where the reaction is serious.

Antibacterial Properties

In addition to its ability to help heal wounds, aloe vera has antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic qualities. These can help to prevent infection and it is thought that it aids the healing process. 

Improve Skin and Wrinkles

Aside from its health benefits, aloe vera has properties that can help your skin in the ageing process. There is evidence to suggest that it can improve the elasticity of your skin and help it to retain moisture and thus preventing wrinkles. This prevents the skin from becoming dry.

Aloe vera also helps with the following skin conditions:

• Eczema
• Acne
• Psoriasis

Aloe vera cosmetic products are approved for cosmetic use, but always check the product before use to ensure that it doesn't have other products listed that can counteract the benefits of the aloe vera.

Heartburn

Drinking aloe vera juice is thought to reduce heartburn by neutralising the acid in your stomach. Note that you should only drink aloe vera juice that is safe to consume. Search recipes or buy from local suppliers.

Boost Vitamins and Minerals

Another benefit of drinking aloe vera juice is a great way to boost your intake of vitamins and minerals. This is because it contains vitamin c, calcium and magnesium. In addition, you can also absorb vitamin C and E. It is suggested that absorption is slower, but allows the vitamins to last longer.

Hair

Aloe vera can support the strengthening of your hair and make your scalp healthier. In addition, it can reduce dandruff. This is done by rubbing aloe vera gel into your hair and letting it penetrate the hair follicles. This in turn also gives it the chance to repair dry and damaged hair.

Natural Laxative

Aloe vera is thought to be a natural laxative. This can be used to relieve constipation and encourage bowel movements. In this instance, you should speak with a professional and start with small servings and correct measurements.