Aloe vera is a well-known medicinal plant. The healing effect of the gel comes into play, for example, in the case of sunburn. To ensure that the aloe vera gel is always available, you should process the aloe vera you have harvested yourself.
How do I process self-harvested aloe vera leaves?
When processing self-harvested aloe vera, first let theyellow liquidrun out of the leavesAfterwardsshorten the leaves by a few centimeters. Cut the remaining leaf part open andloosenthegel out.
How do I get aloe vera gel from self-harvested leaves?
If you have cut off the outer leaves for the aloe vera harvest, followtwo steps for extracting the gel:
Step 1:
- Place the leaf with the cut side down in a container
- for one to two hours
- yellow liquid must run out
Step 2:
- Short the bottom of the leaf by one or two centimeters
- then cut lengthwise
- Remove the gel with a spoon
To prevent the gel from discoloring when exposed to air, place it in a water bath until further processing.
How do I preserve self-harvested aloe vera leaves?
You can preserve self-harvested aloe vera leaves bydeep-freezing. To do this, cut the leaf into small pieces and place them in portions in the freezer. Once you have removed the gel from the leaves, you can preserve it by adding vitamin C powder (€9.00 on Amazon) or vitamin E oil if you put the gel in a sealable container and store it in the refrigerator.
Are self-harvested aloe vera leaves suitable for consumption?
It isnot recommended to consumethe leaves you have harvested yourself or the gel from your own aloe vera cultivation. The reason for this is the yellow one Substance aloin, which is contained in the plant sap. Aloin has a laxative effect that can cause serious symptoms. Setting up the leaves after harvesting ensures that the plant sap runs out, but privately there is no guarantee that there will be no residue in the gel.
Tip
Let aloe vera recover after harvesting
Cutting the leaves involves a loss of leaf area for the plant. So that it can compensate for this, you should give the houseplant time to form new leaves.
