The Nursery is Growing!

A Growing Nursery

Mother plant in bloom
Note: the mother plant is the only plant recorded
to produce blooms so far. October 2014

Over the past few months, the Aloe Nursery has grown impressively. Eleven sexually mature plants have joined the mother plant in the nursery, expanding class three from a quantity of 1 to a quantity of 12. More than ten new pups are emerging vigorously from the class one plants, comprising class one. Only three Aloe plants, those that have already been separated from their mother, have yet to reach sexual maturity-these in between plants will make up class two.

After nearly a year, the nursery has almost doubled in size (compare photos below). Only three of the smallest transplantees from the beginning of the year did not make it-they were separated from their mother plant too soon and proved to be too premature.

Brand new additions to class one: sexually mature plants
October 2014

 

December 2013

 

This transplantee will soon rival the original mother plant.
October 2014

The Green Project 2013

                    ~ Gabby

Update On Experiment II: Aloe Oil

Aloe Oil

experiment II

New maceration bottle to be used in making Aloe Oil.
Note the small neck and "shoulders" of the bottle.

The latest experiment, experiment II, will have to be restarted due to molding. The same procedure will take place as before, with two major adjustments: 1) usage of a different maceration container,and 2) the addition of a small amount of alcohol poured on top of the maceration solution, prior to capping. The use of a differently shaped glass container with "shoulders" and a small neck will not only help keep plant materials submerged, but will also allow for the easy application of a small amount of alcohol on top of the solution to prevent molding. 

After the Aloe oil is made, it will be added to three other oil mixtures: one for hair, one for the body, and one for the face. Trials will follow afterward and will be compared to the prior trial in experiment I

Custom oil mixtures for hair, body, and face. The Aloe Oil will be added to
 these custom mixtures after production and trials will proceed. 

Aloe Oil Project so far:

Experiment I                                                  Experiment II

Stage I                                                             Stage I

Stage II                                                            Stage II (this page)

Stage III

Trial

Greenhouse Archive (2014: April)

                                                                                      The Green Project 2013

                                                                                                         ~ Gabby

Aloe Vera Oil: understanding preservation and maceration techniques

Aloe Oil

experiment II

Aloe macerating in sunflower oil

Understanding preservation of extracted Aloe

After more research I discovered that once aloe is extracted from the plant it begins to lose its potency within as little as two hours. Prevention of oxidation and light exposure is key, aloe will begin to turn a pinkish color and proceed to brown when it begins to oxidize. This happens when aloe is left out in the open at room temperature or warmer. Refrigeration is the best way to preserve the aloe: fillets are best kept in an airtight container, preferably dark glass; if the gel is to be eaten or applied directly to the skin it is best kept refrigerated in an airtight container in its whole leaf form. Refrigeration will preserve maximum potency for two to three weeks. 

Understanding maceration (cold infusion of oil)

As mentioned above, heat destroys the medicinal potency of aloe vera. This is something I was not aware of during my first Aloe oil experiment (experiment I). This second experiment will explore the method of maceration-a type of "cold" infusion of oils. Since aloe can not be heated, the liquid from the gel must be extracted by other means. Maceration requires soaking the desired plant material in a base oil, thus extracting the oil soluble components of the aloe into the base oil while still preserving its quality-no heat required. A stable base oil should be a virgin cold pressed oil. I found sunflower oil to be one of the more stable oils available on the market for a reasonable price. Sunflower oil is also naturally high in Vitamin E, the vitamin acts as a natural preservative and is also very important for restoring skin. I filleted a dozen aloe leaves into a glass container and poured in just enough sunflower oil to cover the top of the fillets. Using a minimum amount of base oil will provide for a more dominant ratio of aloe to sunflower components. I covered the container with its airtight lid and put it in the refrigerator. I will let it sit for about three weeks, checking and stirring it occasionally. 

                                                                       The Green Project 2013
                                                                                  ~Gabby

Aloe Oil Trials: Face and Hair

After several weeks of using the Aloe and coconut oil blend I have seen an impressive amount of improvement in both my hair and complexion.

Hair:
My hair is long, thick, and wavy. Damage includes coloring (my hair has never been bleached), the repeated use of a flat iron and curler, sun exposure, split ends, rough cuticle, breakage, and the dreaded frizz. The outermost layer of my hair suffers the most from frizz and brittleness while the underside remains healthy and smooth.
I used the Aloe oil mostly on the ends and outermost layer of my hair. The oil helped seal in the cuticle, making hair smooth and shiny; but maybe a little too shiny. The oil proved to be heavy, so it was used sparingly. As the weeks went by the frizz became much more manageable and I noticed less breakage. The oil could be lighter, so as to not weigh down hair and leave a more mattee sheen.

Face:
In the evenings I wipe my face down with the same Aloe oil blend, massaging it into the skin and wisking it away with a damp cottonball. This lifts away most of the dirt, so the soap can penetrate deep into the pores instead of battling grime stuck on the surface.
I have very acne prone, oily skin. Damage includes distressed and blemished skin and the need to correct skin tone. After weeks of using this oil every night and sometimes in the morning I noticed an amazing improvement. The oil did not clog pores as one might expect, but did the exact opposite. It soothed redness and evened out pigment discoloration. Scars left behind are beginning to fade and my complexion is looking smoother overall. Breakouts have become more manageable due to the deep pore clensing the oil is able to accomplish and skin is even starting to appear firmer.
To battle my oily complexion I have begun to use a jojaba oil and lemon extract blend in the mornings (after the Aloe blend if I decide to use the Aloe oil in the morning). The jojaba helps control excessive oil production by glands and the lemon extract evens out skintone.

I was so impressed by how the oils worked that I have decided to tweak my original recipie and blend three specially customized Aloe oils to meet the needs of my face, body, and hair.

                  The Green Project 2013
                               ~Gabby
                                     

Aloe Vera Oil: Home Made (and All Natural) fin.

Aloe Oil: Second Straining Process

experiment I

Aloe Oil: second
filtration process using
coffee filter

I filtered the Aloe Oil for the second time using a coffee filter taped to a small bowl. While gradually pouring the oil into the coffee filter, I was careful not to pour in too much at one time. The second straining process was much slower than the first, lasting about one hour.  The coffee filter filtrated the oil at a drip pace but managed to remove all the particles still left behind after the first straining. The final product resulted in just over 4 oz of all natural Aloe Vera Oil with a coconut oil base. The excess oil has been stored in an airtight container for later refill usage. 

Drip 

Aloe Oil: Final product
4 oz

The Green Project 2013

~Gabby

Aloe Vera Oil: Home Made (and All Natural) cont.

 Aloe Oil: Heating Process

experiment I

Start

Finish

Leftover Aloe pieces after being
cooked and strained. The
 pieces resemble a texture
similar to that of onion rings.

After the Aloe pulp and coconut oil set for 3 days, I removed the mixture from it's container and simmered it for 50 min on low heat (electric burner notches 2-3)until the it stopped bubbling. The gel pieces shrank in size by the end of the heating process, turning crispy like onion rings. I let the mixture stand for one hour to allow it to return to room temperature. A small, tightly woven mesh strainer was used to filter the oil. Tomorrow I will filter it one more time with a coffee filter to remove any small remaining particles. The 4 aloe leaves plus 200 mL of coconut oil yielded approx. 4 fluid oz of Aloe Oil.

Aloe Oil: still requiring one more filtering
(NOTE: not all specks are aloe-the counter top happens to be speckled.
The larger specks are remaining aloe product.)

The Green Project 2013

~Gabby

Aloe Vera Oil: Home Made (and All Natural)

Aloe Oil

experiment I

Aloe Oil process step (1)

FORMULA:

50 mL of coconut oil for every Aloe Vera leaf.

RECIPE:

(1)Remove center gel from aloe leaves. Mix combination until gel is fully covered and let sit for 3 days. (2)After 3 days, heat mixture over low flame for 10-15 minutes; stir mixture continuously, when popping sound of hot oil stops remove mixture from heat. (3)Let mixture stand until at room temperature and then strain.

NOTES OF PROGRESS:

For this experiment I used the gel of 4 mature aloe leaves combined with 200mL of coconut oil. This mixture was made last night, it will be ready to heat on Thursday, the 10th. I shall update progress of the experiment after the heating process is complete- followed by a documented, full length test drive of the Aloe Oil on my own hair.

                                                                The Green Project 2013

                                                                              ~Gabby

Light Deprivation

The image on the right is the "4th" and eldest of the four pups that are still attached to the mother plant. It was accidentally separated from the mother plant when I was removing mature leaves to collect the center gel. The picture below was taken one day after the transplant. As you can see, the centers of both pups in both pictures are a very pale green. The two pups were originally growing side by side at the base of the mother plant, as shown by the still attached pup in the picture to the left. The mature leaves at the bottom tier of the mother plant's rosette pattern were covering the pups, thus rendering the plant's chlorophyll (which gives vegetation its pigment) unable to absorb adequate light. The pup still attached to the mother remains partially covered, but the separated pup now has the chance to be fully doused in light. I will keep track of the length of time it will take for the separated pup to regain its pigment. 

3rd eldest pup still attached to mother plant

eldest/separated pup

The Green Project 2013

~Gabby

Update: Aloe beginning to bloom

It is now spring and the mother plant is once again beginning her reproductive cycle. 3 pups are still attatched to her; the 4th and oldest of the pups was accidentally knocked off and seperated from the mother. It was immediately transplanted and is currently doing well. 

beginning flower 

The Green Project 2013

~Gabby

Cold Temperatures & Aloe

Lately the weather in Texas has been pretty cold, with temperatures dropping below freezing some nights. Even though the Aloe Vera nursery is located inside, the room is not very well insulated. The premature Aloe shown in the picture were effected the most. Their lack of a well developed root system makes them suceptible to the cold, causing their leaves to turn a dull and yellowish hue. The pup on the outer right side appeared to be least effected. It retained the healthiest center out of the three plants with light green fleshy leaves and minimally reduced vigor. The larger plants were slightly effected, class one overall showed the most suceptibility, compared to class two and the mother plant. Slight darkening of the outer ridges of the leaves indicated damage along with slowed growth and vigor. By keeping the potted Aloe closer to the lamps I am hoping the slight temperature increase will be enough to help the plants get back on track

6 Weeks After Transplant

It has been roughly six weeks as of 12/21/13 since the class one aloe clusters were first transplanted. Normal vigor and color has returned. Some discolored purple/red patches are still visible on older leaves, but bright green centers indicate healthy new growth. Growth has resumed normal pace even in the weakest of the pups. When I first separated all the existing pups from the mother plant I made the mistake of cutting a few too soon-I should have left them attached to the adult for several weeks longer. New growth is now growing from the centers of these struggling "runts". The recovery process did not require much, I let the plants and time do most of the work. The six larger plants were watered once a week; the smaller three were watered twice a week. The water I used consisted of purified tap water; un-purified tap water contains chlorine, among other harsh elements, that can raise pH to an acidic level and burn plants. The difference in size between the plant in the bottom left corner and the rest of the group is actually an un-categorized plant used in comparison to the Class 1 plants to demonstrate rate of growth. This plant was in between classes 1 and 2 so I left it un-categorized for now until it reaches a more consistent size with one of the groups (for dosage amounts when fertilizing begins). The ninth plant from class one is still alive, it is just not shown in the 6 week picture. Four pups still remain attached to the mother plant. Two are still very premature, the other two are larger but should remain attached for several more weeks (one is more mature than the other). 

6 weeks later w/uncategorized plant

 day of transplant

                                                                                 ~Gabby
                                                                   The Green Project 2013

New Aloe pups

Two new Aloe Vera pups discovered this morning

Why Use Compost Tea as a Foliar Spray

What You Didn't Know
Vegetation evolved in the oceans- like their marine ancestors, land plants can take in nourishment through the stomata on their leaf surfaces; similar to the way seaweed takes in food directly from seawater. Stomata intake CO2 and excretes water and oxygen, they also transport nutrients to the plant up to ten times faster than than that of root systems. In addition,when plants first evolved on land they formed an alliance with the existing microbial life in the air and soil. Certain species of fungi and bacteria became the chefs that prepared the plant's food and the medics that helped the plant fight off disease. Plants prefer to dine on biologically pre-digested nutrients because it is more easily assimilated. Healthy plants possess a strong immune system that includes a "bio-film" of microbial life on roots, stems and leaves. 
So how does one make the best use out of all these biological principles? 
By taking compost tea and using it as a foliar spray. When the tea is sprayed on the foliage the plant becomes enveloped in living organisms-thus enhancing the web of microbial life which the plant is a part of. 
What Is Compost Tea?
Compost tea is a nutrient rich solution containing vast colonies of beneficial fungi and bacteria. These microbes digest nutrients into organic compounds that can be easily absorbed by the plant. The same microbes also colonize the surface of the leaves, creating a barrier for disease. Compost tea, unlike chemical foliar fertilization and mineral sprays, can not be over applied and does not burn leaves. Excess water running off leaves in microbe-rich droplets fortifies the soil and improves growing conditions. They also clean up toxic chemicals and turn them into nutrients. The results of this organic fertilizing method can be astounding: mineral rich vegetation, clear and glossy leaves, decreased vulnerability to disease, and even lessened insect attacks. The main drawback is that brewed compost tea is not always readily available-as it is a "live soup" and has a limited shelf life.

After about 3 months the potted soil in which the Aloe are growing will begin to deplete in nutrients. With further research I plan on partially recreating an experiment conducted on Aloe Vera plants using pigeon manure. Pigeon manure proved to show best overall results in Aloe Vera growth and development. I plan to test these results myself and will post my findings as the experiment advances. Further information on how to make compost tea, application amount, and storage will be included as part of the recorded experiment. There is currently no set date for the experiment to begin.

                                                                                  ~Gabby
                                                                          The Green Project 2013