Pruning Tips For A Healthy Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe vera is one of over 500 aloe plant species, and one that many people keep in or around their kitchens to treat burns. While gardeners and plant lovers might be familiar with how to prune houseplants like pothos and spider plants like the pros, succulents are a bit different. First, sterilize your scissors or pruning shears with rubbing alcohol so you don't cause any infections while making your aloe vera cuts. Then, choose which leaves you want to prune. Dead, damaged, or diseased leaves are a good place to start, identified by their shriveled, brown, or yellow appearance. Cut the leaves off at the base. Removing them will allow your plant to concentrate on supporting its healthy leaves, encouraging your aloe to thrive.

To prune for shape and size, stand back and look at your aloe, envisioning how you want your plant to look. Then, make your cuts starting with the plant's outer leaves — again, at the base. Keep in mind that pruning heavier leaves might destabilize your succulent, so use caution before making permanent cuts. Also, beware that excessive pruning can damage your aloe vera because nutrients and water are stored in its leaves, so only prune when necessary.

Whether you're pruning your plant for shape or harvesting your own aloe vera leaves for other reasons, you want to preserve all the succulent has to offer. One option is to take the entire leaf, wrap the end with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it moist, close the end in a plastic bag, and place it in the refrigerator. This is a good option if you want to use or harvest the gel in the next week or two. You could also slice the leaf immediately near the base, place it in a container, and let the gooey liquid drain. Once it's done, fillet the leaf, remove its gel, and refrigerate or freeze it. Brittanica notes that true aloe is often used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, so it can come in handy.

If you want to grow a new plant from your cut leaves, that's also an option, but there is something you should know before planting. Instead of putting the cutting into a glass of water like many other plants, place the leaf in a warm place away from sunlight and allow a callous to form over the cut end. After a few days, place your leaf in soil, and it should develop roots within several weeks. The other way to get a new plant is to look for pups growing next to your original aloe. Remove the little plants and give them their own home to expand your aloe population.