100% environmentally friendly
When designing an aloe vera plantation, as with any other crop, the characteristics of the plant, its nutritional and climatic requirements must be taken into account so that it can develop under the best conditions.
Resistant essence
When growing aloe vera plants, we are at an advantage because it is a climate-resistant plant, able to grow in a wide range of temperatures and in dry climates, provided it has plenty of light, well-drained soil and is not subject to frost in winter.
Growing and harvesting
Cultivation is started by means of suckers, which, after being separated from the mother plant, are either transplanted directly or kept for six months with controlled growth in aloe vera nurseries before planting.
Ideal climate
For outdoor cultivation, the best time of the year to plant aloe is spring because of the milder climate and higher rainfall. Nowadays, with modern cultivation techniques and the installation of drip irrigation, it can be grown at any time of the year.
No pesticides or chemical fertilisers
At Alover We produce exclusively organic aloe vera plants, complying with the requirements established by European regulations for organic products. We have been certified for organic production by CAAEThe first Spanish certifying entity in charge of verifying strict compliance with these regulations.
Environmental responsibility
Our aloe vera plantation is located on a two and a half hectare family farm in the Las Caleras area. It covers an area of 4000 square metres and currently has 4000 aloe barbadensis plants protected under glass.
While the most common plantations have a density of between 8,000 and 12,000 plants per hectare, at Alover each aloe tree occupies a space of 1.20 by 0.80 m, which favours its vegetative development, prevents the appearance of pests and facilitates access for all the manual work required to care for the plants.
Irrigation is carried out by self-compensating drippers 33 cm apart with a flow rate of two litres/hour, which facilitates uniform irrigation and adapts the level of humidity to the needs of the plant at all times.
The roof has automated zenithal windows that allow continuous ventilation during the hottest hours of the day and protect against frost during the winter nights. In addition, rainwater collection pipes have been installed on the upper part of the roof to supply a pond for irrigation.
At Alover we rely on technological innovations to grow aloe vera sustainably.
Our aloe vera plantation is located in the municipality of Navahermosa in the region of Los Montes de Toledo, a few kilometres from the city of Toledo on the C-401 regional road and in the vicinity of the Cabañeros National Park.
Our land is located in the central west of the peninsula and is characterised by hot, dry summers, with little rainfall, and winters with low night-time temperatures, but not usually below freezing.
Our aloe vera cultivation is located on a two and a half hectare family farm in the Las Caleras area. It occupies an area of 4000 square metres and currently has 4000 plants protected under glass, with automated zenithal windows that allow continuous ventilation during the hottest hours and protect them from frost during the winter nights.
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The best raw material
Aloe vera cultivation and care
Organic production makes the difference with other plantations.
At Alover We only use natural 100% organic fertilisers based on worm humus, which is the result of the transformation produced by red worms from manure that has been fermented several times. This results in an organic fertiliser that lacks the undesirable characteristics of manure and has the following advantages:
As far as pests and diseases are concerned, aloe vera has few enemies, but as with other plants, when grown intensively it can be attacked by pathogens (especially fungi) in soils with excess humidity and areas with little light, causing leaf spots and root rot.
The best way to keep the plantation healthy is to ensure well-drained soil, plenty of light, and to eliminate the weeds that grow between the rows of aloes, which not only serve as a refuge for parasites, but also compete with the aloe plants for nutrients in the soil.
Land and water
Water
Due to its low water requirements, aloe vera has adapted very well to dry climates such as those of the interior of the peninsula, thanks to its great capacity to store water, a characteristic that makes it extremely sensitive to frost, suffering from temperatures below 10ºC.
Soil
It grows well in sandy or volcanic soils that are well drained and rich in organic matter. As the aloe vera plant can grow to a total height of 1 metre, when planting from offshoots or saplings it is necessary to respect a minimum space for them to grow easily and to allow easy access during agricultural work.
Of the more than 400 species of aloes, two are mainly cultivated as medicinal plants:
Aloe Barbadensis Miller
It is the most common variety of aloe plant in cultivation on the Iberian Peninsula due to its curative properties and its high yield in gel production. It reaches a height of up to one metre, has elongated leaves with thorny edges and its flowers are tubular and yellow in colour.
Aloe Ferox Miller
It is a slow-growing species of aloe that can reach a total height of 2-3 metres and has bright red flowers. It is characterised by its high content of aloin, which is much higher than that of aloe barbadensis.
In our aloe cultivation we have chosen the barbadensis variety, whose plants reach optimum conditions for harvesting after three years, and which also allows us to market an organic aloe gel with a high acemannan (mucilage) content and of exceptional quality.
The International Aloe Science Council (IASC) is a non-profit organisation that brings together producers, processors, traders and manufacturers of finished products. Its purpose is to establish common standards and improve the practices of the entire community involved in the aloe industry.
The quality of aloe vera gel is quantified according to its acemannan and aloin concentration, the IASC sets as a quality index the content of at least 5% in acemannan and in gels intended for oral consumption, an aloin content of less than 10 ppm aloin. However, in Europe the EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) recommends that the level of aloin and other anthracene derivatives in latex should not exceed 1 ppm.
Factors determining the quality of aloe vera
At Alover we are organic producers and through the certified techniques we use in cultivation, fertilisation and harvesting, we obtain aloe vera leaves with a high percentage of acemannan, higher than the common standards, which determines their superior quality.
We grow organic aloe vera
Little water and lots of sun
At the European level, Spain has become a veritable paradise for the cultivation of aloe vera, especially on the islands, in the south of the peninsula and in the Mediterranean basin, where its cultivation has become more intensive in recent years. From there it has spread to other autonomous communities in central Spain, with protected greenhouse plantations increasing the profitability of aloe vera. The current outlook is for more and more hectares to be planted.
Currently our production is estimated at around 70,000 kilos per year and our expectation is to incorporate new plants by propagating the aloe we now have in order to increase production and make aloe cultivation more profitable.
Because of its medicinal properties, our main customers for aloe gel are pharmaceutical laboratories that produce natural products in the form of food supplements as well as the cosmetics market.
Given the interest in aloe vera among the general population, in recent months we have opened a line for the retail sale of potted aloe vera plants. for ornamental purposes, both for retail trade to private individuals and for nurseries.
Aware of the multiple benefits of aloe vera, our company was set up with the aim of producing top quality organic aloe vera. Our business model is based on wholesale to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industry, which tries to respond to consumer demand for aloe vera products.
If you are interested in getting to know us and learning more about our plantation and our aloes, we will be happy to provide you with all the information you need.
Sustainable, ecological, natural and healthy
The new green gold
Do you want to buy aloe vera leaves?
Natural gel obtained directly from our fresh aloe vera leaves, with no blends or artificial ingredients. Available in 200 ml format, ready for brands looking for a high quality base product for their cosmetic or personal care line.
8,50 €
Pure aloe vera juice, without preservatives or additives, made from fresh leaves from our own cultivation. 1 litre format ideal for brands looking for a premium ingredient for their line of healthy products, cosmetics or nutraceuticals.
12,50 €
We supply fresh aloe vera leaf 100% natural, freshly harvested and in optimal conditions for processing. Ideal for laboratories, cosmetic, food or supplement brands looking for high quality raw material.
