If you have an aloe plant at home, you are already aware of how beneficial the gel is for your skin, hair, and general health. You will learn how to effectively cut, grow, and care for an aloe vera plant in this article.
Aloe vera combines good looks with ease of maintenance, making it one of the best houseplants you can grow. The soft spines on long, dagger-shaped leaves give the impression that they are vicious, but they are actually harmless.
There are many advantages to having fresh aloe vera gel nearby, but first things first! It’s crucial to understand how to cut aloe vera plants without killing them in order to release the plant’s potent healing properties. We’ll show you how to do it in this article.
How to Cut An Aloe Leaf?
It’s simple to learn how to cut an aloe plant to take advantage of its therapeutic qualities. All you need is a good knife. And of course, an aloe vera with extra leaves.
- Select a leaf of aloe vera from a mature plant that appears healthy. To keep your aloe plant looking good, it is best to cut it as close to the stem as you can. Since the majority of the nutrients are concentrated in the stem, it is crucial to carefully cut the leaf.
- Holding the plant’s main stem over a small bowl of water after cutting it will allow the yellow sap to drip out. If accidentally ingested, the plant’s yellow latex can cause diarrhea and skin irritation when it comes into contact with the skin.
- Give it a quick rinse in the water bowl once all of the yellow sap has been removed. The top layer of skin can then be removed by laying the entire leaf out on a cutting board and using a serrated knife. Simply flip the leaf over to remove the bottom portion of the skin. Recycle the cut piece in the soil as compost.
- The fresh aloe vera gel, which is the most delicious component, will now be left over. If you have any cuts, wounds, or minor burns, you can apply the gel directly to your skin for instant relief. Or you could incorporate the aloe gel into your fruit smoothie or beverage. Aloe vera gel should be consumed daily for optimal health.
- It is strongly advised to store any unused aloe vera gel in the fridge or freezer so you can use it later. It can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and it should last longer in the freezer.
How to Harvest Aloe Vera Faster?
Even though this tropical plant requires little maintenance, if you give it good care, the gel you produce will be of higher quality. Additionally, you can increase yields and harvest crops more quickly.
Here are a few neat gardening tips to help you grow your aloe vera plant faster:
Choose a Well-Draining Potting Soil
The intention is to stop aloe vera roots from rotting as a result of too much water. For your succulents to grow to their full potential, invest in a potting mixture that contains three components: two parts sand, two parts gardening soil, and one part perlite or pumice.
Ensure a Minimum of Six Hours of Light Per Day
Every time you have the chance, expose your plant to lots of sunlight. Otherwise, it might lose its appealing, compact shape and start to stretch. Additionally, more sunlight results in more food. It will therefore mature more quickly.
You can cut an aloe vera leaf from the plant for your smoothies as soon as it reaches maturity.
To avoid burning your prized plant, however, take care. Unbelievably, it is susceptible to sunburn just like we are. Therefore, proceed gradually and avoid exposing it to the midday sun after it has spent the morning in the shade.
Place Aloe in a Porous Container
Use a clay, terracotta, or other moisture-absorbing container pot to keep aloe roots alive. To keep the water from collecting at the bottom, it should also have drainage holes. Read More: What Is The Best Pot For Aloe Plant?
Trim, But Not Too Often
The aloe vera plant needs to be periodically cut down to maintain its strength and health. Just trim the plant’s damaged or aging foliage, though. You don’t want to unintentionally cut a leaf that is just emerging.
Provide the Right Nutrients
Aloe vera needs food just like any other living thing. Additionally, incorporating banana peels into the soil will benefit your plants greatly. One benefit is that it will become harder to harm by pests, which will aid in its long-term growth.
During the growing season, which is from April to September, you can fertilize the soil twice a month.
Water Only When the Soil is Dry
When taking care of succulents, sometimes less really is more.
In order to keep your aloe plant from rotting, you should only water it when the soil is completely dry. In colder climates, this frequency is even lower—once every three weeks. You won’t run the risk of drowning your favorite plants that way.
How to Make Aloe Vera Gel?
Lay the leaf out flat on a cutting board and cut off both of the spiny edges to obtain all of the internal aloe vera gel for use in face masks, hydrating lotion, sunburn relief, or smoothies. Use your knife to next scrape off the top of the leaf.
To accomplish this, run the knife blade along the length of the leaf, a few millimeters beneath the leaf’s skin. To fillet a fish, use a similar motion. Place the lower leaf surface on the cutting board last, then run your knife along the leaf bottom (below the thick gel).
The gel on the leaf will separate as you cut.
How to Store An Aloe Vera Leaf and Gel Effectively?
Your aloe vera leaf should be stored after being cut. Wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator. The leaf will stay fresh for four to seven days if you do this. The chilled gel behaves similarly until it turns brown and is no longer useful.
Freezing the entire leaves is another method for preserving the freshness of your aloe gel. The leaf’s cut end should be wrapped in plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. That way you can extend the shelf life of both the gel and the leaf for several months.
Finally, you can just freeze the gel in ice cube trays. Transfer the frozen cubes to a new freezer bag with a label to store them. And keep in mind that frozen aloe gel can keep for roughly eight months.
Further Reading: Why my Aloe Plant is Turning Brown?
Benefits and Uses of Aloe Vera
- helps with eczema and psoriasis
- provides heartburn relief
- moisturizing for face and hair
- anti-bacterial for minor wounds
- gets rid of ringworm and cysts
- used as a natural laxative
- helps to relieve insect bites, poison oak, poison ivy, and mild cuts
- helps to heal cold sores & mouth sores (can be an alternative to mouthwash)
- helps to heal wounds & sunburns
- aids in weight loss
- it is an adaptogen for the body and alkalizes the body boosting the immune system
- detoxifies the body and supports kidney health
- hydrates and soothes the body
- has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
- reduces high blood pressure and lowers blood sugar
- balances digestion and protects your immune system against infections
FAQs
Does Aloe Vera Grow Back After Cutting It?
Yes, the miraculous quality of aloe plants is that they self-heal, and healthy ones will continue to produce new leaves even after a cut.
Should You Cut Aloe Vera Leaves?
Trim the leaves of your aloe vera plant as needed if they are damaged or dying. Cut aloe vera leaves from mature plants for a natural, soothing treatment for cuts and burns, however, if used topically or internally for medicinal purposes.
Unless the plant has damaged leaves, it typically sheds its lower leaves on its own schedule, so cutting them is not necessary.
Final Words
The entire process can be very rewarding and enjoyable once you know how to cut an aloe vera leaf from the plant. However, it would help if you exercised extreme caution to prevent plant injury or yourself.
Try out all the different ways this succulent can be used and learn how it can benefit your face, body, hair, skin, and physical health.
