HELP!My Aloe vera pups are dying!

[Collext]

I wanted to give my friend an aloe vera pup for her birthday since I have a big aloe vera plant, but when I tried propogating them within 2 days they all wilted and turned white and are in this state! My mom was too cheap to let me go and buy sand or perlite to make proper soil from the potting soil we had. And because I read that they liked sunlight I put them in the sun even though they'd been living in shade in their whole pup life. ><
I don't know what to do, my mom probably won't buy new correct soil to replace, what can I do? Can I just leave them alone inside?
Edit: Okay, I have some small rocks that I can wash, but should I uproot them and try to let them callus and add rocks to the soil and replant them? Or can I just leave them alone because my mom doesn't want me messing with them.

[imafan26]

When you took off the pups did you plant them right away or did you callus them off first? Aloe is pretty easy to propagate if you get a bit of the stem when you take the pup off. Callusing them off helps to keep them from rotting. You just have to wait until the end dries.

When pups are planted they do sometimes turn yellow in the beginning, they need to recover from the shock. Do not over water them and keep them in a shadier location and then harden them off to full sun again.

[Collext]

When you took off the pups did you plant them right away or did you callus them off first? Aloe is pretty easy to propagate if you get a bit of the stem when you take the pup off. Callusing them off helps to keep them from rotting. You just have to wait until the end dries.

When pups are planted they do sometimes turn yellow in the beginning, they need to recover from the shock. Do not over water them and keep them in a shadier location and then harden them off to full sun again.

Yeah. I didn't let them callus. >_> I thought about it but.... *sigh*
Should I just take them off of the soil now then?

[applestar]

If you only need a smallish amount of "sand" or "gravel" to increase/improve drainage, you could use crushed eggshells or if you have some, seashells.

Although playsand is not the "sharp" sand recommended, some of that could help too, especially if they are not all finely sifted grains of sand and contains varying sized bits of gravel as well.

When I was at school, I just went to the school greens keeper and asked for "a cup of sand"....

[Collext]

If you only need a smallish amount of "sand" or "gravel" to increase/improve drainage, you could use crushed eggshells or if you have some, seashells.

Although playsand is not the "sharp" sand recommended, some of that could help too, especially if they are not all finely sifted grains of sand and contains varying sized bits of gravel as well.

When I was at school, I just went to the school greens keeper and asked for "a cup of sand"....

So I should uproot the plants and put in any kind of small rocks inside? Can I wash the rocks?
Will they die if I don't?

[Lindsaylew82]

Do you have a driveway? Roadside gravel is sandy-ish!

[Collext]

Do you have a driveway? Roadside gravel is sandy-ish!

What about salt? >_>

[Lindsaylew82]

Ah. In the south, we don't do that.

You could rinse it or soak it?

[Collext]

Ah. In the south, we don't do that.

You could rinse it or soak it?

I can find small rocks, so should I uproot the pups and fix the soil? I'm afraid that may shock them even more. ><

[applestar]

Ultimately when they start to grow roots, they would do better with better draining soil mix. So I do think it would be better to do this before they start growing roots or while the roots are still less developed.

Hedge your bets -- try repotting just some of them with amended soil. I like 1/3 sand or grainy stuff (mix gravel, eggshells, sand mixture) with 2/3 potting mix. Or 1/2 sand, etc. + 1/2 garden soil.

You are not going to "uproot them" but carefully slide them out of their current homes. Set them aside out of direct sun, and pile the current growing mix on the middle of the work surface or in a tray or a bowl.

Add the amendments, mix well (be careful if using eggshells), re-fill the containers, then poke a hole and snuggle the babies in the mix. If they have some roots, then poke a deeper and wider hole, settle the baby in the hole, then carefully add more mix around it to cover the roots and support it from falling over.

I would give them a little drink -- maybe 1/4 cup of water for the size of containers you have -- unless the original mix was already quite moist.

[Collext]

Ultimately when they start to grow roots, they would do better with better draining soil mix. So I do think it would be better to do this before they start growing roots or while the roots are still less developed.

Hedge your bets -- try repotting just some of them with amended soil. I like 1/3 sand or grainy stuff (mix gravel, eggshells, sand mixture) with 2/3 potting mix. Or 1/2 sand, etc. + 1/2 garden soil.

You are not going to "uproot them" but carefully slide them out of their current homes. Set them aside out of direct sun, and pile the current growing mix on the middle of the work surface or in a tray or a bowl.

Add the amendments, mix well (be careful if using eggshells), re-fill the containers, then poke a hole and snuggle the babies in the mix. If they have some roots, then poke a deeper and wider hole, settle the baby in the hole, then carefully add more mix around it to cover the roots and support it from falling over.

I would give them a little drink -- maybe 1/4 cup of water for the size of containers you have -- unless the original mix was already quite moist.

I wish you had given me this advice a couple of days ago.
Most of them have already turned brown and mush by now. >_<
Why must I be careful with eggshells? *Curious*
I can't get garden sand anywhere.
I have smallish rocks, not sure if they're gravel.

[rainbowgardener]

what they sell as "paver sand" in all the big box stores works fine. Gravel is sold in pet shops for aquariums. You could use at least partly potting mix for cactus.

[applestar]

Hm. You only posted your question two days ago....

Do you have more pups to start over with? I'm wondering if you had kept your separated babies in the sun? Also, am wondering if you had let the separated pups dry and callus before planting (was that asked before?)

Let's start from the beginning if you have more to work with, and get all the details straight. It's easier if you can pull off the pups with even a little bit of roots.

Will you have chance to get supplies this time or are we still working with whatever you can find around the house? Nothing wrong with that -- you just have to be inventive. (I've done this too at one time or another, hence my alternative suggestions -- BTW I said be careful with eggshells because you could hurt your fingers/hands with the sharp edges. But if you were wondering, you can sanitize the eggshells to your own level of satisfaction... Wash with soap, dry in the sun, bake in the oven, etc.). Not my favorite, but you could also sacrifice plastic pellet filling from a stuffed toy -- usually used for the feet.

[Collext]

what they sell as "paver sand" in all the big box stores works fine. Gravel is sold in pet shops for aquariums. You could use at least partly potting mix for cactus.

Oh really that's wonderful. I assume it doesn't have salt?
I was worried it would have salt because it's very cheap but says nothing about gardening,
Is this okay?https://www.lowes.com/pd_383567-79138-XA ... facetInfo=

[Collext]

Hm. You only posted your question two days ago....

Do you have more pups to start over with? I'm wondering if you had kept your separated babies in the sun? Also, am wondering if you had let the separated pups dry and callus before planting (was that asked before?)

Let's start from the beginning if you have more to work with, and get all the details straight. It's easier if you can pull off the pups with even a little bit of roots.

Will you have chance to get supplies this time or are we still working with whatever you can find around the house? Nothing wrong with that -- you just have to be inventive. (I've done this too at one time or another, hence my alternative suggestions -- BTW I said be careful with eggshells because you could hurt your fingers/hands with the sharp edges. But if you were wondering, you can sanitize the eggshells to your own level of satisfaction... Wash with soap, dry in the sun, bake in the oven, etc.). Not my favorite, but you could also sacrifice plastic pellet filling from a stuffed toy -- usually used for the feet.

They're health is degrading incredibly fast. Though a couple I think will survive.
No more pups, but the mom plant is still doing well I could try to do it again next year or just buy a plant from the store for $4 when in comes in stock, but it won't be organic....
I answered before, but no I did not give them enough time to callous because my mom and I wanted to get it over with and we're not used to this. I learned my lesson.
Once planted I let them outdoors, but that wasn't too good for them because they had lived they're lives in the shade before with the momma plant. So I put them inside but made sure they were in a room where they would get the most sunlight possible.
My mom gardens a lot but if paver sand like this https://www.lowes.com/pd_383567-79138-XA ... facetInfo=can do the trick I can go to lowes today and buy it. In fact I will buy it, hear someone's reply and either use it or return it cause I probably need to go to lowes again afterwards anyways.
I feel like perlite is too expensive though since I'm assuming 8 quarts isn't that big since 20 quarts potting soil can be bought for less the price.

[Collext]

what they sell as "paver sand" in all the big box stores works fine. Gravel is sold in pet shops for aquariums. You could use at least partly potting mix for cactus.

"The worst possible choice is "Joint Lock" or "Paver" sand which is sold to inexperienced "Do-it-your-selfers" as a leveling medium and bed for brick work. This sand is "Polymer modified," which means that it contains an additive that will harden when it gets wet. "
I found this on the internet?

[applestar]

Look at the package instructions. The kind you are talking about will say something like sweep into gaps between pavers/bricks then spray with water to set. You could also test by putting some in a cup and adding a bit of water.

All purpose sand should be fine.
I've used underlayment gravel/pebble mix for pavers as well as untreated gravel/sand mix for filling between pavers. If in doubt or if you want especially "clean" substrate, you can also rinse the sand/gravel before using. All kinds of stuff float and sink out of them.