From the page: Your hair is born in the kitchen
Idea 8
Grow rosemary and aloe vera
Rosemary is a Mediterranean shrub that stores essential oils in its leaves — that's why it withstands sun and drought, and that's why it is beloved in hair rinses. Aloe vera is a succulent whose leaves store gel full of water and mucilage, that viscous substance that hydrates and forms a protective film over hair and scalp.
What you need
- A pot at least 30 cm deep with holes in the bottom (rosemary) and a shallow pot with drainage (aloe vera)
- Regular soil mixed with coarse sand or perlite (half and half) to ensure drainage
- A rosemary sprout or seedling and an aloe leaf or pup (ask someone who already grows them — they root easily)
- Small stones or ceramic shards to cover the pot's drainage holes
- A well-lit spot, like a window with direct sun or a balcony
How to make it
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1
Cover the pot's holes with small stones so the soil doesn't escape and the water drains — both plants hate waterlogged roots, and drainage is the secret to nearly all the success.
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2
Plant the rosemary in the soil-and-sand mix, firmly, and water only when the soil is dry to the touch of a finger; excess water rots the roots before anything else.
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3
For the aloe, let the leaf or pup dry for a day or two in the shade before planting: this forms a crust on the cut that prevents fungi and water loss.
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4
Plant the aloe in the sandy soil with the base lightly buried and don't water for a week — the leaf already has stored water and watering early causes rot.
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5
Place both pots in the sunniest spot of the house; the more sun the rosemary gets, the more aromatic oils it produces, and that's what matters for the rinse.
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6
Harvest the outer leaves of the aloe and the rosemary sprigs always from the bottom outward, allowing the plant to keep growing from the center.
Finishing touches
With the plants growing, you have fresh raw material always at hand: the rosemary will become an infusion for the final rinse and the aloe gel hydrates the strands straight from the leaf. After about six months, the rosemary can be divided into two pots — more plants for free.
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