Hey CG,
I've heard good reports of re-rooting aloe in pure pumice or perlite.

The plant in the top pic is pretty much gone. The other two seem healthy enough, maybe a little etoliated. I think it was probably a combination of water and cold. The medium you have it potted in looks too organic which would hold too much water. If you can go for the gritty mix....do it. I grow mine in mostly Diatomaceous earth.

Slowly re-introduce the one with healthy roots back into stronger light with a much lighter, airy potting medium.

I would cut the other one just above the lowest leaf and keep it in pure perlite in a shadier area with indirect light until it reroots. Make sure you cut all the way past the rot or else it will continue.
I hope you save it!
Matthew

Squishy,

I figured that first sister is done. I was contemplating harvesting the good parts for aloe flesh, but then I realized I have no actual use for it - no sunburns in our house this time of year. So I'm just going to toss it in the compost.

Yeah, I really need to get a better potting medium. Do you think Lowes or Home Depot would have something suitable? I've found that places like Wal-Mart don't really - they carry "cacti/succulent mix" but from reading the ingredients it doesn't sound all that suitable. I'll look for pumice and perlite, as you suggest.

(I also really need to get a potting table. I have no work space, and my husband gets really irritated when I do my potting and other plant care on the kitchen counter.)

Thanks for the advice - it's greatly appreciated!

*CG*

Home depot or lowes or most garden centers should carry perlite.
Best bet is to go to NAPA auto parts and ask for product number 8822. It's the same as turface. Or if you have access to turface and it's not too expensive, give that a go. Be sure to screen and rinse it though. Window screen works fine. Use caution when screening, the dust is very bad to inhale. Wear a mask.
Matthew

*CG*

I am so sorry you that happened to you your plant. With Matts helped, you are in good hands. I think you can save a few and prevent this from happening in the future with such greta advice.

Mike

Awwww, you're a sweet gal and I'm sorry to hear of the heartache! This is why I suffer from winter paranoia. Experimentation with the cold might be something I'd do if I were both richer and less emotionally attached. ;) So sorry about your misfortune.

Mike - thanks, I'm really hoping the perlite works. I just picked up a bag from Lowes and will give it a go tomorrow when I get home from class.

Sharron - I hear ya, believe me, I'm paranoid too. I'm hoping my sofa table will be done tomorrow and I can start bringing some of my plants in. (Right now it's 49 degrees out - within tolerance levels, but still makes me nervous.) Every day I check them, afraid of what I might find. I, too, am emotionally attached! Isn't it funny how we get that way over our plants? (I still get a little upset when I look at pictures of some of my plants that have since "passed on.")


*CG*

Squishy,

I cut that one aloe above the bottom leaf (and above the rot), as you suggested, and potted it in pure perlite. How often should I water it? And what kind of light should I keep it in?


*CG*

Water and Cold doesn't mix. When hot, too much water may be forgiven. When cold, no water at all. Plants know and just sleep or something. I got a Jade that was in a unheated house for years and forgotten. It was never watered. Belonged to my wife's late grandmother. We brought it home and started to water the hard stem. Came back to life and produced new leaves. Who knew. I got a snake plant that started to rot and fall over. I totally left it alone and put it some where to die. Months later after total neglect it started to produce new pups and start over. Some times we kill with love(water).
Good Luck
Stush

CG,

Have a gander at the Aloe FAQ - the fellow who wrote it saved some Aloes (too many) from The Rot.

Cactus - Great, I'll give that a look. Thanks!


*CG*

CG,
No roots = no water
Some people mist occasionally. I'm not sure what the etiquette is with that though.

Matthew

Squishy,

So...it should, conceivably, just start to sprout roots? Like a leaf taken from a Grapto or an Echeveria?

I'm glad I asked, cuz I really wanted to give it a drink once it was potted. Told myself to wait until I knew for sure it was ok to do so. So, no watering until it grows roots. Got it. Thanks!


*CG*

Hi CG,

Sorry about your plant loss, but then again, it's a bit of the learning curve when one starts growing succulents.

One can sum up about watering succulents (generally speaking) by remembering:

when it comes to watering, when in doubt, don't.

Also, about rooting things (again, speaking generally), the best indicator of a plant having rooted is the appearance of new growth. One may not see any roots developing as they'll likely be growing below the mix. So when you see the new growth starting to appear, you know it's safer for you to water.

Good luck w/ it.

Hence never watering the soil when the plants have no roots - the plants don't need it because (drumroll) they have no roots.

This is where the propitious use of a spray bottle set on 'Mist Factor 3' comes into good use. Once a day, or once every other day, just like I'm going to do in a few moments.

If a rooted plantlet is being planted, but you don't want to water the soil for a variety of possible reasons, misting is again the way to go - the plant will grow under a misting regimen, one just mists more heavily.

OOOH... So sorry, he looks like he difinately drowned from to much water. I guess we can all chalk that one up for experience.

Greg