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How to Trim an Aloe Plant Step by Step

Aloe vera is one of the plants with more properties from the point of view of health so if you have decided to have one of these plants at home and use its natural gel, you can follow this step-by-step guide in which we explain how to trim an Aloe plant.

The leaves of Aloe vera, are those that contain inside the gel that will serve to relieve pain and itching of wounds, burns or to remove marks and scars, as well as many other uses, such as making a hair mask, so we must be careful to cut the leaves well and above all, know how to open them.

How to Trim an Aloe Plant

Cutting the leaves of Aloe vera, not only will serve to extract its healing gel but also extend the life of the plant. With each cut, the plant is strengthened, so that we can take advantage of what has been cut while the plant will have the strength to continue living and to grow new leaves.

1- The operation, however, must be done correctly; the cutting must not be done at random and the leaves must be used within a short period because if they are left aside for many days, they begin to wither and lose their beneficial properties mentioned above.

2- When cutting the aloe leaves, try to cut the lower leaves, and above all do it as close as possible to the base of the plant. The lower leaves, which usually look a little drier, are usually the oldest ones, so they will have greater benefits and nothing will happen if you cut them.

3- To optimize the result, it is necessary to use a very sharp knife or scissors. It is of fundamental importance to make sure that the chosen cutting utensil is perfectly sterilized and does not contain traces of rust, since the latter, in contact with the precious liquid contained in the leaves of the plant, could contaminate it, thus negating the beneficial effects, also creating dangerous risks of infections in contact with the skin of our body.

4- The Aloe vera leaf that you have cut, should be cut crosswise and in the central part to extract the gel correctly. On the other hand, you can see if when you cut it, at the base there is already gel so that in principle you will not have to make cuts while you can extract the gel you need from below.

5- Once you have the gel you need, wrap the cut sheet in a bit of transparent paper and store it in the freezer. It is also necessary that you know that the cut leaf can only be kept for a maximum of five days, since after this period, it will be free of nutrients and, therefore, the gel you can extract will be of little use.

aloe vera gel extract

How to Extract The Gel From The Aloe vera Leaf

It’s very simple, put it vertically and cut crosswise the spikes of the Aloe vera leaf. Then peel one side of the leaf. You will have the Aloe vera gel on one side uncovered and the skin on the other side. This way you can easily take it and apply it where you need it.

How to Preserve Aloe vera

One of the problems of Aloe vera gel for its preservation is that it oxidizes very quickly (it is a process similar to that of the apple) so you have to avoid excessive contact with air.

You can cut the leaf and only extract the piece of gel that you are going to use and wrap the rest of the leaf in aluminum foil to avoid light and put it in the refrigerator until its next use. In this way, it can be preserved with guarantees for several weeks.

aloe cuttings trim

About Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan is an agronomist horticulture founder of The Garden Style Company and The Garden Style Website. He previously worked for Mondelēz International as an Agronomist Engineer specializing in agricultural products management in highly populated areas. In 2000, Henry started working with farmer-producers in agricultural businesses selling wholesale fresh produce and retail plants in Van Buren, Arkansas. Nowadays, Henry lives in California, where he offers expert consulting services for organic vegetable gardening. As a science writer working with his wife, Julia, Henry shares his passion for gardening and farming, trying to reach and teach as many folks as possible.

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