Usually the leaves tend to grow way longer when it is trying to get more sun. It may have been in a shaded spot so the new growth tried to find more light. If light conditions are good, it does not grow too long, at least that is what I have seen in my plants. I have trimmed a long leaf before, but I make sure the ones I am trimming off are the older leaves not the new growth from the center. The older leaves are the ones on the outer side. I get my new growth around late Spring to Summer time usually a batch of 10 to 12 leaf stalks at a time, and usually when our temps are soaring into the high 80's to mid 90's. If it is planted in ground, then it will have more resources so it can really grow much bigger.
During winter, since I grow them outdoors, I just let Mother Nature water it. It is quite drought tolerant, but your media has to be very well draining, it does not like being too soaking wet. And if you do plan to repot later, make sure you raise the caudex up a bit. I try to position this plant in a spot where it can get good sunlight and away from areas I frequent, those tips are rather sharp and pointy!
I had to repot mine a year ago to get the two babies and I was really being mean to it. Thankfully it is such a resilient plant..unfortunately, I think I may have been too mean on the babies..but it does have another baby at the base of it, and will leave it alone for now.
See how the new leaves form, this is from last July 2015
Pretty much at this cold season time of the year, they are in very slow growth, almost dormant actually, so less water for now. Once a month watering will be more than enough, especially if it is growing indoors. Come late Spring, you can bring it out so it can enjoy more of the sunshine and as it takes in more heat, it can then appreciate a bit more stepped up watering.
