Aloe vera is a succulent plant that is native to Africa. It is known for its thick, fleshy leaves which contain a gel-like substance that is used for its medicinal properties. Aloe vera is easy to care for and can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It prefers well-draining soil and thrives in sunny, dry environments.
Although commercially prepared aloe vera is widely available, there is nothing better than growing your own plant at home. Furthermore, it is very cheap; You can be sure that what you are getting is 100% natural and free from chemicals or any preservatives. You might think that caring for an aloe vera plant is complicated but it is actually not, it is actually very simple and straightforward.
The little hassle of cultivating your own plant at home will surely be outweighed by the innumerable uses and benefits you will get.
Aloe Vera can be used to:
- -Treat insect bites and relieve redness, swelling, and irritation
- -Relieve Vaginitis
- -Treat minor burns
- -Soothe sunburn
- -Help manage Psoriasis, Eczema, and other skin conditions
- -Treat Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, GERD, and other conditions of the same type
- -Help support the immune system
- -Moisturize dry, cracked skin
- -Replace creams, lotions, foot masks, and facial masks
- -Prevent wrinkles
- -Treat and prevent acne
- -Speed up hair growth and make hair healthier, bouncier, and shinier
- -Speed up metabolism
- -Relieve heartburn
- -Reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels
How to grow aloe vera plants at home fast
The aloe vera plant is most notable for its thick, succulent leaves. Believe it or not, this is one of the easiest houseplants to care for. When you break the leaves, a clear gel comes out. The plant is vase-shaped and spreads by shallow roots. It rarely blooms as a houseplant, but when cultivated outdoors or in a properly ventilated greenhouse, you can end up with long stalks of green, white, yellow, or orange flowers that would have been lovely anyway Huh.
The plant does best in a well-drained potting mix that contains sand, perlite, pumice stone, or sharp grit. You may also want to look into cacti and succulent mixes. Caring for an Aloe Vera plant is almost similar to that of a cactus. It thrives in bright light and, like a cactus, can survive with sporadic water. Once every two weeks is sufficient to keep the plant in tip-top condition. Take care when planting because if you live in a very hot area, the plant may turn brown in strong sunlight. If you’ve had your aloe vera plants indoors for a while and want to move them outside during the summer, do so gradually by exposing them to dim light. Dappled light simply means speckled or spotted. Again, no direct sunlight.
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It will grow fast if kept outside but if you want to grow it indoors then it is completely up to you. An aloe vera plant can grow very quickly and if it outgrows its pot, all you have to do is move it and place it in another pot with the cacti and succulent mix. Luckily, this plant isn’t really picky about its soil type. My aloe vera plants are in pots filled with normal soil and they are doing fine. Remember to remove new shoots when they are about 4 inches high. Replant them in their own pots or else they will suck the life out of the mother plant. If you notice that the mother plant is turning bright green and the leaves are spreading horizontally instead of vertically, act fast and start removing new shoots.
Aloe Plant Care Tips
On hot summer days, make sure you drench the soil with water to ensure that your aloe vera plant is healthy. Don’t overdo it though, wait for the soil to dry out before watering again. What about the cold winter months? During this season, the plants go dormant and require very little moisture, which means watering should be much less than normal. Allow the soil to dry out substantially before watering with a cup of water. If you pot your plants, make sure you buy pots with drainage holes so water can drain easily.
See, taking care of an aloe vera plant is as easy as it can be! It is also quite cheap so go ahead and put your green thumb to work and start enjoying the medicinal benefits of this miraculous plant.