Aloe Vera is a great plant to have in your kitchen.
If you have ever had a burn while cooking you know how good it feels to cool that burn. Aloe is a succulent that contains a soothing gel within its leaves. That gel can help cool a burn! Although the plant is used medicinally for all sorts of ills, we’ll stick with growing and dividing it .
If you look up Aloe you’ll find there are lots of different types grown around the world. If you are buying your first Aloe plant you may find them available with or without small white spots on the ‘leaves’. Those spots do not affect how the plant grows or performs medicinally, so grab the one you like.
Aloe is an “easy keeper” and is often grown in a sunny window.
It can easily be grown outdoors in warm locations but it cannot handle frosts…at all. As an indoor plant it only has a few requirements:
- A warm area with plenty of light
- A light potting mix (cactus mix, or a little sand or perlite mixed with a regular mix will help with drainage.
- Light watering. Over watering can cause the plant to rot. Do water if you see the leaves starting to dry and pucker up because you forgot to water it for a month.
Aloe Babies
Aloe isn’t usually propagated by seeds. Most often it is propagated by cuttings, pups, or suckers. These are the ‘baby plants’ that form at the base of the parent plant. You may notice a few after you have had your plant awhile. Aren’t they cute?
To divide your Aloe, take the plant from the pot, or dig it up. Gently clean off the roots and see where the new baby plants are attached. Now carefully pull these babies off. It’s alright if they come loose by themselves.
You will probably notice that most suckers or pups will not have roots yet. That’s normal.
Now re-pot each plant separately, or tuck a few smaller suckers together into a pot. You can re-pot them and share with a friend when they get bigger.
Now, about using that Aloe in the kitchen…
If you do get a burn just cut off a leaf
Slit the leaf open and dab the gel on the burn.
Ahhhhh, that’s better!
Via: Gardening 101