most intensive, most compact: ------------------- dump them out on a tarp, spread them out to air dry, and shred them up via whatever method you prefer (lawnmower, leaf-shredder/blower, etc.) least intensive, least compact: ------------------- toss them out in an area of your yard that you're not currently cultivating for some other purpose (lawn or garden) middle of the road approach: ---------------------------- place them into paper "yard waste" bags and leave the bags open, somewhere out of the rain, until you can use them properly. The paper bags will go a long way towards sucking out the excess moisture while still keeping them in an orderly fashion. Eventually the bags will fail, but then they can be tossed in the compost with the leaves, once you're ready. --------------------- I think trying to compost them, as is, in the garbage can is a recipe for anaerobic decomposition which is smellier than all get out and tends to attract every fly in a five mile radius. I ran into that problem last summer with a failed attempt at a 35-gallon garbage can composter I made by drilling out holes in a 1"x1" grid around the thing. I went back to just creating "free piles" in the back corner of the property where I could ensure at least a cubic yard's worth of material remained in each pile.

I don't know of too many plants that will put up with being splashed... I would look for a thin leaved plant as the water droplets aren't going to lay on the leaves the same as it does when it's flat and big leaves. When there are water droplets on the leaf the sun hits that water and scorches the leaves.. one reason water lilies don't like to be splashed. Hope this helps.. somewhat.

Soft stem is most likely rotting. Depending on how far the rot spread, it may or may not be possible to save it since there is no stem to cut the rosette off and root it. Looking at the photo, rosette doesn't look that great: leaves are quite light in the center - BUT that could be just light color from insufficient light or maybe lighting when photo taken. Only you can tell. Are the leaves also soft? If there is rot in the stem, it will kill rest of the plant. You may not have other choice but cut the roots off and see the stem - if there is any discoloration (should be light greenish or creamy color without any dark markings), the rot has set in. You could try cutting off another thin slice - depends on how much stem there is. Take off few leaves and cut - post photo of the cut. And I would do it sooner rather than later, rot spreads fast. You could take off some leaves by twisting them off gently, and try to root them to grow new plants. No guarantee - the leaves should be healthy. But probably worth trying. I would take off 4-5 lowest leaves, lay them on top of mix and just wait. No watering.

If plant gets lanky, it s best to behead it. My chroma grew one of the long stem too, and I have to do it yet - maybe I'll wait until Spring. I probably will cut it where the black line is since there is an offset growing lower on the stem: You can also see one dry leaf - that is normal ageing and will soon fall off (or I'll pick it off). As plant ages, and receives enough light, stems should become harder and corkier too. How much sunlight are yours receiving? To make sure it doesn't happen again (stem rotting), perhaps increase drainage. Your mix looks like it has quite a bit of perlite or pumice, but iI am looking only at the photo. If your mix contains lots of peat, there is a chance it may create problem: if kept dry, peat becomes hydrophobic. Another possibility is to use topdressing of gravel - it keeps stems and/or lowest leaves away from moisture. Some ppl do not like topdressing, but I use it on almost all my plants (all succulents, and most non-succulents too). ETA: gravel topdressing helps to keep stems upright too. Your plant is mostly green and that suggests to me that it was kept in relatively low light. Low light is also cause of week stems. Another is that rosette is not as compact. Here is the same rosette showing how much compact it is. Leaves are also darker in color: