Benefits of Growing Aloe Vera

I grabbed an aloe plant at my local nursery this week.  Growing up in Florida, we often had aloe plants.  For a fair skinned gal like me, they came in handy.  I remember one house we lived in there was a live plant growing in a partial wall dividing the dining room and living room areas.  Most of the time there was a plant growing outside of the house though.  We used it whenever someone had a sun burn. Now that I live in a cooler climate and rarely go outside without sun screen, I forgot about aloe until one of my children got sunburned a couple years ago. I remember spending a pretty penny on some pure aloe at the drug store for him. 

As a prepper, I felt adding an aloe plant to my supplies would be beneficial.  Before re-potting it in a cute little terracotta container, I spent some time reading about it.  The Garden Helper has a concise but helpful overview.  Then, I found this amazing blog called We Love Aloe.   It has information, recipes, and news exclusively about this powerful plant.

 

I learned that aloe is not only helpful for sun and other burns, but it has many other health benefits.  Aloe can be used for cuts and rashes (including poison ivy).  Also, many people use it as part of their beauty routine.  For instance, We Love Aloe gives instructions on how to create a mask to fight acne and how to use it to improve your hair’s condition. When ingested, aloe builds up immunity to viruses (like flu) and cleanses the digestive system.   For much, much more, take some time to peruse their website. 

The “Reading Aloe Leaves” section is especially beneficial.  It reveals when a gardener needs to adjust watering or sun exposure as well as when to prune the plant. Fortunately, aloe is easy to care for.  In the winter, for instance, you may only need to water once every week or two.  

Along with the aloe, I re-potted some cilantro I found at the nursery. (I tried growing from seeds, but so far no luck!) The plants are looking a bit droopy, but I hope being in a new home will bring them back to life!  I put a little arrangement together, including an adorable watering jug, on my deck.