All you need to know about aloe vera: how to grow, care for and use

Aloe is perfectly suited to the role of the first green pet - it will require a minimum of effort and enjoy the original view. In addition, this year-round cosmetic help. Heroine made guide on aloe. Tell us what types are suitable for home cultivation, how to plant, care for and use this plant.

What you need to know about aloe

Aloe - part of an extensive family of succulents. Its distinguishing feature - the thick leaves with teeth at the edges, which diverge from a wide fan base. The genus Aloe more than 500 species of plants.

Aloe grows in warm, dry climates and can survive in conditions harmful to other plants. Due to its ability to retain moisture aloe managed to survive all the climatic changes occurring on the planet and survive from ancient times to the present day.

Aloe contains a great number of vitamins: natural antioxidants, beta-carotene, allantoin.

As the surviving written sources about the healing properties of aloe people knew more than three thousand years ago. The gel obtained from the leaves of the plants used to treat a number of diseases: ulcer, frostbite, burns, bowel disease.

Aloe juice is still actively used in folk medicine. However, as the established American researchers, when ingested, it can cause poisoning. For external use aloe juice is still considered absolutely safe and is widely used in cosmetology.

How to grow aloe

At home, most often grown aloe vera, aloe tree (also known as aloe), aloe aristata and aloe motley. All these varieties are quite unpretentious and easy to find in any store. Choosing pot, pay attention to the type of plant and the fact what his root system. For example, suitable low but wide pot, and not as important for agave latitude container spinous aloe because it grows mainly in height.

Make sure that the pot is made from a porous material such as terra cotta. Since the soil can dry out between watering and the plant will not suffer from excessive moisture. In addition, the pot must necessarily be a saucer, which will collect the excess water.

The substrate for the cultivation of aloe can be found in a specialty store. Fill the pot with soil about a third. Take away the excess dirt with a succulent and place it inside. Fill the space around the plant, leaving a centimeter from the edge of the pot.

Do not water succulent immediately after planted. Wait 5-7 days and only then do the first irrigation.

How to care for aloe

Aloe suitable for the windowsill in the room on the south side. In summer, it feels great to open the balcony or in the garden, but during extreme heat should remove it from direct sunlight.

Watering aloe varies depending on the time of year. In spring and summer the plant should be watered regularly, about once every two weeks, preventing the drying of the soil. In winter, on the contrary, it is necessary to limit watering to 1 once a month or even less - again depends on the state of the substrate. Watering aloe should always be warm water.

At the time of active growth of aloe - from April to September - it must be fed. Suitable universal fertilizer for succulents. Make their worth on a cloudy day or in the evening, it is better to pour into the pan to fertilizer fell on the roots, not the leaves. Young plant should be repotted every year, do it better in the spring. Perennial aloe enough to repot every three years. Every next pot should be 20% larger than the previous.

Proper and regular watering regime change will help the aloe grow actively.

How to use aloe

Despite the popularity of aloe in folk medicine, it is recommended to use it only on their own for cosmetic purposes - when applied externally, he is absolutely not dangerous.

For home treatments best suited aloe over two years - by which time he had already managed to accumulate nutrients. Choose from the bottom leaves of the plant, they must be easy to detach. Leaflets with slightly dried up tips - the most useful.

Gently clean sheet from the skin. The pulp is grind in a blender or a knife. Wrapped it in gauze or cotton pads and put under the eyes for 15-20 minutes. This wrap will help eliminate swelling, under-eye circles and wrinkles.

To combat the inflammation can wipe the entire face of aloe leaves. Cut it in half and is pressed against the skin of pulp, pressing occasionally to stand gel.

Agave juice can be rubbed into the scalp for half an hour before washing. It perfectly moisturizes and nourishes the skin with vitamins.