The natural world has given us humans a veritable bounty – from plants and animals that we cook and eat to the herbs and spices we flavour our food with, but perhaps the most useful gifts that Mother Earth has given us are medicinal plants and extracts.
One of the most versatile plants in our inventory is Aloe Vera, a succulent plant species native to North Africa as well as the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and Madeira – and the Aloe Vera benefits are wide ranging.
Its spread throughout the world as a result of its popularity with gardeners, who prize it not only as an attractive and easy to grow plant but also one which offers a wide range of medicinal and healing properties. These days it can also be found in many cosmetic products, as its soothing and rejuvenating properties are valued by the beauty industry.
Aloe vera is a succulent plant that has been used for centuries for its medicinal and healing properties. Growing aloe plants in your garden provides easy access to the gels juices and extracts that can be made from the leaves. Aloe contains over 200 active compounds including vitamins, minerals enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones and other nutrients that provide a myriad of benefits not only for human health and skincare, but also to support the health and growth of other plants in your garden.
Why Grow Aloe Vera?
Here are some of the top reasons to consider growing aloe plants in your yard or containers:
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Medicinal uses The gel from aloe leaves can be applied topically to soothe sunburns, rashes, cuts, scrapes and more. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to aid healing. Consuming aloe juice can provide digestive and immune system support
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Skin and hair care: Fresh aloe gel can be used as a facial cleanser, moisturizer, aftershave treatment and hair conditioner. It helps hydrate and soften skin and hair.
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Easy to grow: Aloe vera thrives in full sun and requires little maintenance or watering once established. It propagates easily by offsets.
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Drought resistant: With succulent, water-filled leaves, aloe is very drought tolerant making it ideal for low water gardens.
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Enhance garden health: Aloe contains plant hormones and compounds that can strengthen, nourish and protect other plants when used as a foliar spray or soil drench.
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Year-round harvest: In frost-free climates, aloe can be harvested any time. In colder areas, potted aloe plants can be brought indoors over winter.
How to Grow Aloe Vera
Location & Container Size
Choose a spot with full sun for best growth. Plant aloe directly in the garden bed or in containers. Provide good drainage by amending soil with perlite, gravel or sand. For containers, allow at least 1-2 gallons of pot size per plant. Move potted aloe plants indoors over winter in cold climates.
Planting & Watering
Plant aloe vera offsets or young plants in spring after the last frost. Bury the base of the plant and roots just below the surface. Water thoroughly after planting. Established aloe plants need very little watering. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Fertilizer & Maintenance
Apply a dilute organic fertilizer or compost tea a few times during the growing season. Remove dead leaves and offsets (pups) can be replanted for propagation. Repot container plants every 2-3 years.
Harvesting Aloe Vera
Cut or break off mature outer leaves. For topical use, slit each leaf lengthwise and extract the inner gel. Avoid the bitter yellow juice near the skin. Refrigerate fresh gel for up to a week. Drink the juice straight or blended into smoothies.
Benefits of Aloe Vera for Your Garden
Using aloe vera as a foliar spray and soil drench provides vitamins, enzymes and antimicrobial properties that enhance the health and growth of garden plants.
Stimulates Root Growth & Seed Germination
Aloe contains gibberellins and auxins which are plant hormones that stimulate root and plant growth. Soaking seeds in diluted aloe vera can improve germination rates. Watering seedlings and transplants with aloe helps them establish stronger root systems.
Provides Plant Nutrients & Hydration
The gel is comprised of water, 75 vitamins, minerals and other compounds plants need to transport nutrients and stay hydrated. Foliar sprays allow rapid absorption of nutrients through the leaves.
Anti-Fungal & Anti-Bacterial Properties
Aloe contains compounds like salicylic acid and anthraquinones that have anti-microbial effects to deter fungal diseases and bacteria. This helps boost disease resistance in garden plants.
Protects Against Transplant Shock
Aloe’s ability to stimulate new root formation while providing nutrients makes it the perfect treatment for newly transplanted seedlings or plants. It protects against transplant shock and loss of growth.
Eases Drought Stress
The enzymes, vitamins and nutrients in aloe help plants stay strong and resilient during periods of heat and drought. Aloe’s high water content keeps plants hydrated under stress.
Making Aloe Vera Garden Solutions
Aloe vera is simple to use for garden plant care:
Soil Drench: Mix 1⁄4 cup pure aloe gel into 1 gallon of water. Water transplants and seedlings with this solution.
Foliar Spray: Add 2 teaspoons pure aloe gel into 1 gallon of water. Use this to spray plant leaves.
Pure Gel: Cut open leaves and scoop out the inner clear gel. Avoid using the bitter yellow juice near skin.
Whole Leaf Blend: blender can be used to blend up whole leaves, then strain out pulp.
For best results, use aloe solutions right away after making. The beneficial compounds begin deteriorating upon exposure to air. Spray in early morning or evening.
The Takeaway
Growing aloe vera in your garden provides easy access to a powerful healing plant. Aloe can be used in dozens of ways to benefit your health, beauty regimen, first aid treatment and gardening practices. With very little care required, aloe is an easy way to boost the growth, resilience and disease resistance of all your garden plants. Start growing aloe today for a sustainable, natural solution for you and your garden!
Aloe Vera: The Benefits
The most common household use for Aloe Vera is to aid the healing of burns – whether youve caught yourself on the hob or been a bit overzealous with your hair stylers, there are plenty of ways to do yourself damage around the home.
Although there are lots of Aloe Vera gels and lotions available commercially, you might find that going straight to the source yields the best results. Simply cut or snap off a leaf from your Aloe Vera plant and squeeze the cooling gel directly onto your burn.
Its no substitute for medical treatment, however, so if your burn is serious make sure you seek professional medical advice – Aloe Vera is strictly for minor burns like sunburn.
The same Aloe Vera benefits, which make it a good home remedy for sunburn – in its ability to cool and soothe – also make it a great way to treat insect bites. As with burns, if the bite or your reaction becomes serious or infected then make sure you see a doctor, but for minor mosquito bites and wasp stings, applying Aloe Vera could ease any irritation quickly.
Another quality prized in Aloe Vera by our forebears which has stood the test of time is its ability to moisturise. Why not substitute the fancy moisturisers for Aloe Vera gel into your beauty regime to fight dry skin and redness in an all-natural way.
Commercial products often use Aloe Vera sap or other substances derived from it, as they are prized for their moisturising emollient effects, so keep an eye out for products with Aloe Vera in their name.
Its also antibacterial, meaning that if you do choose to use it on your face and body as a moisturiser you could enjoy some handy side-effects, as some people claim it can fight acne. As far as cheap and easy treatments go its right up there, so you dont have much to lose by giving it a go!
Is Aloe Vera Easy To Grow?
You dont need green fingers to reap your own Aloe Vera benefits and enjoy the plants rejuvenating properties – in fact, you dont even need an outdoor garden. Its an incredibly easy plant to grow and will be very happy on your windowsill. Its fine to put outside in the warmer months, but make sure its inside before the frost hits!
Aloe Vera Care Guide! // Garden Answer
FAQ
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