I am in Taiwan and I found a large abandoned pot of aloe vera plants out in the garbage. I took it home and repotted it into single pots. It was all infested in ants when I broke it apart. I used peat moss and watered it couple of times. It has a lot of sun I have it on the patio outside. But the plants look like they are dying and they have getting brownish yellow in color. What can I do?

but let it dry between waterings... or you can "kill it with kindness"

They should really be put into potting soil. I didn't even think about the peat moss

G-Mom

I agree on nixing the peat moss. The problem with it is that it just stays really wet. But since Aloes are supposed to dry out between waterings, it becomes more problematice since peat is hard to wet once it's been dried. It has a waxy quality to it that is really annoying. If you can get your hands on some good cactus/succulent mix, that'd be great. But if you keeping it around as a houseplant, maybe regular old soil is the way to go. Easier on you for watering.

Good luck with them! I've been saved by aloe more than once in my life. As a child, my brother accidently spilled boiling water down my back. It had been sitting on the wood stove boiling away for a couple hours. I don't remember what it felt like (thank god) but I remember a lot of screaming.

I had third degree burns all down my back and all over my keester. Mom (being a country woman) didn't take me to the hospital but instead, she pulled a whole bunch of aloe leaves (or whatever you call'em) and slathered me up. I healed without any scars. Given the severity of the burn, I'm still amazed to this day. Open wounds everywhere (sorry for the graphic). But I'm certain that I'd be scarred like crazy if she'd have taken me to a burn center for it. The aloe stopped my body from going into shock and making it worse, I guess.

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i would add, regarding the aloe as well as the papaya, sand added to the soil you use will make it drain better and for the aloe, will facilitate the drying of the soil better. and on the papaya, the ones we had on guam seemed to grow every where, in the sand along the beaches and in the areas that had more clay and volcanic material.

I went looking for soil everywhere, since the local plant shops "do not have any " and as you mention, there is a lot of clay-like soil so I mixed it with sand. I am assuming this will work as I am just about to plant my papaya seeds. I am also working on avocado. One seed I planted in soil, 2 weeks ago, so far nothing. Today I used the water technique with the tooth picks holding it up in a jar. But I have a question. About planting guava, I do not understand exactly what this means: "after planting the seeds, propagate both varieties outside during summer months in bright but diffused sunlight." from a website:http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/HowtoMangoPapGuav.html
I know what propagate means but I somehow don't get it?
Thanks for all you help.
Ivona

Ivona,

Can you order any potting soil thru any
mail order places???

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





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