Although all chapters weren't as successful as these were, my overall rate of return was well over 86.14%.

Here is the chaos and carnage left over from an Aloe broomii, the end result of ignorance and benign indifference to its needs, cat fights, opossum trespasses and skunk violations.

This particular plant had outgown its pot - it also healed itself, after being given some strong medicine. I then removed its dying leaves, leaving the finished-but-for-the-repotting plant.

Some aloes, following Central Core Repair, form a new rosette beginning where the old one left off, effectively 'pushing' the old one out of the way. That's what happened with the Aloe broomii.

The Aloe below illustrates what happens most of the time, following growing point damage, treatment and regrowth- pups are thrown.

Here's what you do with a centrally rotting Aloe that you wish to save, providing it has a healthy stock and lower leaves:

1) completely core out the rotten parts - scrape, spray, cut out all the rot

2) Give the core a water blast, empty if necessary, then spray the crater with alcohol

3) while still wet with alcohol, dump some sulphur powder (flowers of sulphur - you can get it at a compounding pharmacy) in the crater

4) keep the crater dry. When you do water, water the roots only

Alternatively, you can heat up a piece of rebar to red-hot and stick it into the center of an Aloe - this will kill intentionally kill the meristem while simultaneously cauterizing the wound.

Many Aloes are singular, but there are methods around that.

CP