Aloe Vera is a highly respected and loved plant. It is easily grown in a pot or poor soils, likes full sun and is drought hardy but not frost tolerant at all.

Everyone should have a pot of it in the bathroom or on the kitchen window sill as it has so many uses. If used fresh you can be assured it is sterile.

• Skin repair just cut a small part of the leaf , slice lengthways and apply the gel directly onto the skin.
• If applied to acne it reduces scarring. It only feels sticky for a short time.
• On burns apply a new leaf as soon as it feels warm from the heat of the burn.
• Insect bites are soothed and Columbians even use it as an insect repellant.
• Constipation-1 tablespoon per day of gel , if you don't like the taste make into a jelly with 1 packet of jelly crystals, dissolve in 250 mls of boiling water, when cool add 250 of washed and blended gel.