Picking the Right Leaf to Harvest
Identify a ripe leaf. Ripe leaves are smooth and have a deep green color. They should also give a bit when you squeeze them gently.
Choose a leaf of the right size. On large plants grown in soil, a leaf that is at least one foot (30 cm) should do nicely. On smaller, potted plants, leaves that are around four inches (10 cm) long and at least one inch (2 cm) thick can be harvested. Larger, thicker leaves will yield more aloe.
Wear gardening gloves. Aloe vera leaves have spiky edges. To protect your hands, don some gardening gloves or disposable rubber gloves before harvesting aloe from your plant.
Removing the Aloe
Cut the leaf off using gardening shears. You could also use a sharp knife. Whatever you use, cut the leaf off as close as possible to the base of the plant.
Allow the aloin to drip out. Aloin is a yellow-brown sap that has a bitter taste. Place the cut plant in a jar with the sliced end facing down. Wait about 10-15 minutes to allow the aloin to drip out.
Clean the leaf off. Run the leaf under water in the sink to clean it off, or dampen a paper towel to wipe it clean. Allow it to drip-dry or wipe it gently with a clean cloth.
Pull the leaf’s skin off in strips. Turn the leaf so that the pointed end is away from you and the flat end that you sliced is facing you. Work a knife blade beneath the thick outer skin and the light, transparent gel at the base of the leaf. Lift the knife a bit and pull away the strip of leaf “skin” that comes loose. Continue working your way around the base of the leaf, alternating between getting the knife beneath the skin and peeling it off. Cut the leaf down the center if you don’t want to pull the skin off. Instead of pulling the skin off in strips, you could just cut the leaf down the center and scrape the aloe out with a spoon. Cutting the leaf down the center will allow you to access the aloe more quickly, but you might end up with more aloin in the gel than you would if you pulled the skin off in strips.
Chop the aloe into small cubes. The cubes should be about one centimeter (1/2 inch) on all sides. This will make it easier to store and use the gel later. Store the chopped aloe gel in a resealable container. You can keep it fresh for about a week in the refrigerator, or up to a month in the freezer. Try liquefying the peeled aloe in a blender to use in smoothies, or to make aloe ice cubes for use on sunburn.
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