caring for large aloe plant

[ivandrocco]

I rescued this plant from certain death, laying on the ground unpotted at Hampshire College in western Massachusetts. When the kids there move out, they leave all sorts of good "garbage".

I repotted it and left it in the sun at my old apartment for the spring, then repotted it again into a bigger, plastic (so it'd be lighter) when I moved back home. It was outside in the sun all summer, and seemed to be doing well despite the ENORMOUS amount of rain we got. I actually re-potted it a third time, this time mixing in a bunch of sand and vermiculite as well as improving drainage do to what a wet summer we were having.

Anyhow, now it's inside for the winter and still doing well, having babies and even sprouting a flower stalk. My question is, is the discoloration on its skin normal? Also, I haven't watered it since the last time it got rained on outside, and am afraid to do so without seeing signs of dehydration as I once killed a small aloe plant with a single watering.

Here are some photos, hopefully you'll be able to see them:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... id=9123958

thanks,
Tyler

[Spotted]

First off, I could be wrong, but I don't see any discoloration. If you're talking about the two tones f green on the leaves, I see that on my aloe plant as well, and i believe mine is healthy.

As far as pots go, yours looks like it is doing fine, but clay pots are better than plastic because they pull moisture away from the plants roots. it sounds like you are taking fine care of the plant, and I'm jealous that yours not only has pups but a flower. Mine hasn't done either yet, and I've been waiting patently. Though it is also still regrowing from this winter, when we had to move during one of the worst parts. It got partially frozen.

As far as watering goes. I watch the soil of mine carefully. and I actually mark in the calender when I water my aloe plant. I water mine once a month. When I do water it, the soil is completely drenched. I actually place the pot in the kitchen sink, and run the water till quite a bit of water flows out the bottom, then I leave it in the sunny window the rest of the month.

As far as your other aloe plant that you worry that you killed, it is possible that this plant was already too watered by where ever you got it from. I learned that harsh lesson with the first aloe I bought for my future mother in law. We didn't water it at all, and it acted as though we did.