Oh dear, Aloe dichotoma:
It must have been the 14-16" of rain we got in December. Our Aloe dichotoma was planted in a spot so dry everything else has died there. Even the Agaves struggle without spot watering. I never watered the Aloe, but that rainy December might have done it. A slope was ideal for drainage, but in hindsight not good for a top-heavy tree Aloe, even one with a good root system. I was thinking I should move it anyway a couple of days ago, when I saw it starting to lean slightly. Now I know why it was leaning.
All I can do is cut off the rotted bottom, let the cut dry out, and see if it can re-root. In the meantime, I consoled myself with a look at 'Lady Emma Hamilton'. Her exquisite beauty provides a bit of solace.
'Tea Clipper' helped a bit, too:
Gardening is learning, gardening is experimenting, I reassure myself. Still hurts, though.
It must have been the 14-16" of rain we got in December. Our Aloe dichotoma was planted in a spot so dry everything else has died there. Even the Agaves struggle without spot watering. I never watered the Aloe, but that rainy December might have done it. A slope was ideal for drainage, but in hindsight not good for a top-heavy tree Aloe, even one with a good root system. I was thinking I should move it anyway a couple of days ago, when I saw it starting to lean slightly. Now I know why it was leaning.
All I can do is cut off the rotted bottom, let the cut dry out, and see if it can re-root. In the meantime, I consoled myself with a look at 'Lady Emma Hamilton'. Her exquisite beauty provides a bit of solace.
'Tea Clipper' helped a bit, too:
Gardening is learning, gardening is experimenting, I reassure myself. Still hurts, though.
Sorry to see it rotted was a lovely plant. But you should have a really good chance of re-rooting it. I would do this somewhere you can control the water so in a pot for the first few months.
ReplyDeleteI hope so, Spiky. Since we won't have another drop of rain until October (at the very earliest), it has a long dry spell ahead of it. I hope it re-roots.
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