The kitchen is a great place to have a pot of aloe growing. There it is handy to break off a leaf to help soothe minor burns and cuts. Use of aloe vera can be traced back at least 2,000 years when it was used for wounds, ulcers, hemorrhoids, skin problems and intestinal worms.
Description
Aloe is a perennial succulent with long fleshy leaves with spikes. Average height is two to three feet. There a re over 300 species of aloe, some of which have yellow, orange or red bloom clusters on top of a tall stalk.
Growing
This plant is very easy to grow, but it does prefer a warm climate (USA zones 9-10). But don't let this stop you from growing it. If adapts easily from outdoors to indoors. Just about every nursery carries aloe, usually found displayed near cactus and other succulents. Plant in the garden in full sun in warm climates; otherwise plant in a pot. Aloe grown well in well-drained soil with a 7.0 ph. Some stores carry cactus type potting mix, and this would work well for aloe in a pot. In the garden, make sure your spot is very well-drained. If not, incorporate a good amount of sand to the planting site.
Bring pots indoors two weeks before the first frost date and put back outside two weeks after the last frost. As a rule, bring aloe inside when temperatures fall below 40 degrees F.
Propagating
Make new plants by separating an off shoot from the base of the plants. This new plant should have small roots already. Pot it up and you have a new plants. This plant grows so well that in no time you will probably be potting up offshoots and giving them away to friends.
Pests
Mealybugs are the main pests of aloe. This may look like a white spot on your plant, but when looked a through a magnifying lens, you will see that they are well-formed little animals. These can be controlled with non-toxic insecticidal soap. They can also be removed manually with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Another common problem is root rot caused by poor drainage. Let the plant dry out in between waterings to prevent.
Uses
For those minor scalds in the kitchen, cut or break off an outer leaf and apply to gel to the affected area. (This is of course after you have stopped the burning process with cool water.) For myself, it seems the gel creates a type of moisture barrier that helps the healing process. Research has shown that the gel does contain anesthetic and antibacterial properties. Aloe gel is used widely in cosmetics for its moisturizing properties. Test a small area of your skin for any allergies before applying to a larger area. Aloe is not recommended for any internal use.
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