Be sure to avoid too much moisture, which is what caused this to happen in the first place. :) Once you can stick your whole finger down and feel that the soil is not moist anymore (sometimes it seems wet, but it's really just cool, so you actually have to rub your fingers together and ask yourself "do I feel water or crumbly dryness" and if it's crumbly dryness, then water thoroughly. Let all water run out of the bottom and just give it a good rinsing until you see water rushing out the holes. Lift the container. Does it feel like it absorbed enough water? Maybe you need to wait a few minutes and soak again, but this only applies when it needs it.

Hi, Sorry to say but dark green & mushy on a succulent (Aloe) is rot. Pls. remove that immediately & sprinkle where you pinched it from w/ some cinnamon (the baking spice). Don't water for a week at least. Rot can spread quickly, anything mushy must go! If the base of the Aloe seems firm to the touch it should be OK. Lena PS: Mentha, I EMed to an old addy of yours, am in touch w/ PG & trying to contact you. Haven't been able to figure out here out to make myself reachable.

It looks like the stem is rotting, that's why it can't hold itself. Can't really tell from the pic for sure, but the stem shouldn't be as black as it is just at the soil level. Hope I am wrong! But do as Kara suggested regardless. If you need to cut it, pls. leave it to callus longer than just couple of days - aloe will not die because of that, it may even start growing roots that way (believe me, I am keeping cut aloe out of soil/potting mix, no watering, no spraying - and after few months it is still alive and well). That pot looks quite large too - I know aloes will grow roots vigorously, but it is even more important to have it potted in very fast draining mix. Too much water retaining soil = too much moisture for too long, very easy to get rot. I would also add some grit to potting mix, not only perlite (or pumice). Could you tell us what is your general location or growing zone? Best to add that info to your name...

Hi David, I am in Tucson too! I have aloes outside as well, but they are in a bark/dirt mixture and never get too dry. i don't think yours is dying. It just needs a really good drink. Can you give it a good hosing? remember: monsoon season is upon us, so all things will get the watering they need soon! eta: you said it was doing well until recently-- the temps have shot up over the last two weeks, and all of my indoor plants have started to dry out very quickly. Perhaps you need to step up the watering because of the rise in temps? Aloes need a good thorough drink, and they will be fine for some time after that. The plant will store the water in this heat because it knows water isn't coming for a while again....mine get their big drinks during monsoon and occasional rains. I don't even use the drip irrigation on them.