Survival Medicine: Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a common house plant easy to grow and use. Herbalists use aloe both externally and internally for many health problems. "Survival Doc" of The New Survivalist web site demonstrates how to harvest and use this amazing plant, which can serve as an important source for natural medicine during a time of disaster or survival crisis.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• aloes
• aloe vera
• survival medicine
• herbal medicine
• home remedy
• burn plant

[nbr3223]

very useful information, and great video. How long would you say that keeps in the freezer without diminishing its medicinal value?

[thenewsurvivalist]

@nbr3223 I'm not sure how long it will keep in the freezer but I would try to use it within a year or two for fear of freezer burn. I think it would be useful even after three years but fresh is always best. This plant is so easy to grow indoors that I would prefer to keep live plants rather than a lot of frozen juice.

[thenewsurvivalist]

@JuleinR This plant grows so prolifically that no matter what I do I can't use it all. I regularly weed out new shoots and throw them in the compost because I don't have enough room or pots for them or I set up a stand in front of my house "Free Aloe Plants." Even then I can't get rid of them fast enough. They aren't wasted when they are returned to the soil through the compost. It's the circle of life.

[Radwoem]

@thenewsurvivalist There are smaller aloe strains that I like to grow. But even the smaller varieties grow too fast to keep up with. I always save three small plants in the greenhouse, then I compost what is left over.

[dramey03]

@Prepper7 im told the rot and the white fuzz that grows on it sometimes is due to overwatering, add sand to the soil mix and water less

[dramey03]

@thenewsurvivalist i have heard aloe does not store well at all, industry gets around this by using stabilizing chemicals in their aloe products to preserve the aloe

supposedly as is the case with my mother, she is allergic to the chemical preservitive and not the aloe itself, so she cant use aloe products but can use fresh aloe

supposedly aloe starts to degrade very quick after it is harvested

[Prepper7]

Thanks doc always kinda wondered the best way to store aloevera. Vera is very susceptable to plant rot, happened to me twice, so its great to know how to store

[sapodotroposo]

@thenewsurvivalist

Thanks a lot for you advice, i will fertilize the soil and see what happens! :-)

[thenewsurvivalist]

@sapodotroposo I'm pretty sure it won't root from a leaf. Try growing your plant in soil that is more fertile. Mine produce so many shoots that they are a real nuisance. I mix a lot of rabbit manure in the soil which is already fertile.

[sapodotroposo]

@thenewsurvivalist

Amazing that it grows so prolific, lucky you (and your neighbours)!

I have one that i´ve had for years, but no sign of babies there!

Now im gonna try to propagate by sticking a leaf in the dirt, after letting it dry a bit.

[urflofit2010]

Thanks for this good vid

[JuleinR]

@thenewsurvivalist ~ Ok ~ gave you a thumbs up for this reply ~ thank you :-)