Guest guest Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hey Charlotte, Are you on Facebook. An herbal group I am on is having a discussion about harvesting aloe right now. Look me up if on facebook Rushing. If not on Facebook let me know and I will send you at least some links being posted. Lind aR. > I had to cut a large triffid part of my Aloe today. It had buckled under > its' own weight and was starting to suffer. Luckily, it sprouted a lot of > new plants in late Autumn. Aloe's are a houseplant in the UK but I imagine > they must grow easily outside in parts of the US? > > Anyway, I have a number of very large leaves now, going to waste if I > don't harvest the gel and refrigerate it for skin issues, I don't know what > else to do with it! Has anybody got any nice ideas at all please? I'd be > really grateful. > > Thanks, > > Charlotte > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 How do you get the gel out? Do you juice it and take the gel? Just squeeze it with something? I do usually keep a jar of Gel in the refrigerator but I bought mine at a store. It does seem to last a long time and still helps, either because of the aloe or because it is cold. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 2:04 PM Subject: OT: Aloe Vera recipe?  I had to cut a large triffid part of my Aloe today. It had buckled under its' own weight and was starting to suffer. Luckily, it sprouted a lot of new plants in late Autumn. Aloe's are a houseplant in the UK but I imagine they must grow easily outside in parts of the US? Anyway, I have a number of very large leaves now, going to waste if I don't harvest the gel and refrigerate it for skin issues, I don't know what else to do with it! Has anybody got any nice ideas at all please? I'd be really grateful. Thanks, Charlotte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 From what I remember on the Herbal group, cutting them open and scraping the aloe out. I can't remember how long it will keep in the fridge but I believe it can be frozen. I just want to find me an Aloe plant. R. On Wed, May 9, 2012 at 4:45 PM, Carolyn Wilkerson < carolyn.wilkerson@...> wrote: > How do you get the gel out? Do you juice it and take the gel? Just > squeeze it with something? I do usually keep a jar of Gel in the > refrigerator but I bought mine at a store. It does seem to last a long > time and still helps, either because of the aloe or because it is cold. > > > Carolyn Wilkerson > > > > > > To: sproutpeople > Sent: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 2:04 PM > Subject: OT: Aloe Vera recipe? > > > > I had to cut a large triffid part of my Aloe today. It had buckled under > its' own weight and was starting to suffer. Luckily, it sprouted a lot of > new plants in late Autumn. Aloe's are a houseplant in the UK but I imagine > they must grow easily outside in parts of the US? > > Anyway, I have a number of very large leaves now, going to waste if I > don't harvest the gel and refrigerate it for skin issues, I don't know what > else to do with it! Has anybody got any nice ideas at all please? I'd be > really grateful. > > Thanks, > > Charlotte > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yes, that's what I do. There's some sap which is laxative; it's in the layer directly below the green outer 'skin' of the fleshy leaf. That's the part you don't want. Some people suggest propping the cut leaf in a bowl for a few minutes to drain this sap, but I don't personally find that much leaches from the cut end. Easier just to not scrape too far into the cut leaf. I slice the leaf down the middle and remove the gooey part and the more solid gel core. IT'S SO MESSY! It keeps in the fridge for a few months at least, but it does go brown with age. Some people liquidise the solid gel with the goo, I don't bother. I did have a look for beauty recipes online, then I remembered a brilliant British TV series made by our BBC. It's called 'Grow Your Own Drugs' with a Botanist called Jamea Wong. I guess there will be clips and maybe episodes on Youtube. There are three recipes for aloe from that series. You mentioned freezing, and from 'Grow Your Own Drugs' is a recipe I gound and will try out in the summer when my marigolds are growing: Aloe Vera and Marigold Frozen Gel Cubes for Burns 2 mature fresh aloe vera leaves 4 fresh marigold flowerheads (Calendula officinalis) 16 drops lavender essential oil (1 drop per ice cube) 1. Peel the fresh aloe leaves to give you a gooey mass of gel. 2. Put into a blender with the marigold flowers and whizz until smooth. 3. Pour the gel into ice cube trays, adding a drop of lavender essential oil into each individual cube. Freeze until solid. USE: Apply a cube directly to the affected area as needed. The ice cubes melt quickly to produce masses of fragrant soothing gel. Don't forget to have a paper towel or cloth handy to mop up the melted gel; the goo has a habit of going everywhere! STORAGE: Will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. I do love my useful and beautiful aloe plant, and hope you get one ! The trick is, remembering that you have one when you need it; I still reach for the calamine ointment first! Charlotte > > > How do you get the gel out? Do you juice it and take the gel? Just > > squeeze it with something? I do usually keep a jar of Gel in the > > refrigerator but I bought mine at a store. It does seem to last a long > > time and still helps, either because of the aloe or because it is cold. > > > > > > Carolyn Wilkerson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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