Aloe vera is a very popular succulent plant that is planted in millions of homes and properties for its practical benefits in pharmaceutical applications.
It can be grown in many tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world, however, it does not perform in cold temperatures as the leaves start to decay if it is exposed to freezing temperatures.
Removing the leaves of your aloe vera for medicinal or aesthetical purposes could prove to be a complicated or rather troublesome task. Damaging your valuable plant is definitely out of the question, that is why the next article focuses on explaining how to cut aloe vera plant without killing it.
How to Cut Aloe Vera Plant Without Killing It
Everything will be based on using clean cuts to obtain the best results. It would be ideal to remove the leaves from the bottom and then proceed to cut close the main stem.
Never try to cut the smaller leaves as they have not grown yet to be used or removed, just focus on the ones that look healthy and big. With that being said, it is time to explain the steps that must be followed for the procedure:
1. Avoid the Usage of Blunt Blades:
Something that beginners (or people who are not into the gardening world tend) to believe is the fact that using any blade will do the work just fine.
That is not something that you should ever do as every plant has its unique composition and texture. In the case of aloe vera, they can be cut better if you use a clean and sharp blade.
The reason why blunt blades are not recommended for aloe vera is for the simple fact that they can easily damage stems and leaves, leaving the plant in a deplorable condition.
Nowadays there are many magnificent blades for gardening, and thanks to the popularity of aloe vera, finding the correct blade will be extremely simple and affordable.
As a recommendation, it is wise to rub the blade in alcohol as this can gradually reduce the possibilities of creating any disease or infections in the plant and furthermore, kill your plant if you are not careful.
2.Trim the Aloe Vera if it is Required:
Do not be scared of handling or trimming your plant if it is required as this can prove to be important for the growth of the plant.
However, always cut as per the requirement, never over trim the plant as this could leave it without essential nutrients that are required to maintain the aloe vera healthy.
The reason why you can cut “freely” the leaves is for the fact that aloe vera has a unique self-healing capacity, which makes the plant recover from the trim after 2-3 days have passed.
Always target dead, discolored, or brown-dark leaves as they will not be useful for the plant anymore, just be careful and avoid cutting the healthy ones.
Normally, aloe vera tends to shed lower leaves gradually as time passes, so you could technically remove them, from the bottom to top is always the best way in which someone could cut an aloe vera plant.
However, while it is important to avoid cutting the plant too frequently, it is vital to never let the leaves grow wild as you could end up facing a tangled leaves plant in your location that could prove to be troublesome to deal with as it will require both patience and time.
How to Cut Aloe Vera Plant without Killing it: Final Considerations
Never try to cut the leaves frequently as this could end up damaging the plant if you remove a lot of essential nutrients that the aloe vera requires to keep growing and healing after every cut. Also, never neglect the watering of your plant, in this case, aloe vera is 95% water, furthermore, they rely a lot on this precious liquid.
If it is time to trim your aloe vera and you start seeing that a lot of small and discolored leaves are developing, this could mean that the plant is not receiving enough water and nutrients or it is suffering from a disease or infection.
Both cases are terrible and they must be handled as soon as possible before the plant ends up being killed.
Related Article: How to Revive an Aloe Vera Plant