Looks like mechanical damage from here, I'd forget it. Sounds like a lot of water, even for gritty mix. A lot of fertilizer too (I'd suggest too much, that's why it's so fat & plump as you said). Personally, if it were mine, I'd use a smaller pot. Unless the roots are huge, it's not good to have so much empty mix (assuming that's what's under the rocks). Some succulent growers use little to no fertilizer, feeling it's both unnecessary & makes for overly lush growth. Tho' I grow indoors only, my Aloes are in West window & I only fertilize them once or twice a year, in Summer only. Anyway, back to the damage, it looks like maybe it was bent against the edge of the pot, or a nearby one, looks mechanical (& not spreading) to me. I'd only be concerned if it somehow spreads.

Hi, I did change the water today. Here's the website where I found the recipe and the recipe. I did have it in a sunny window overnight and then that's when I found them curly and closing, but not all. I did see bugs in them too, but how could the bugs make them curly or close. Your "How To" Guide for Cut Flowers from The L. W. Ramsey Advertising Agency http://www.ramseyadagency.com/cfbook/cf.htm "Here is another similar homemade cut flower preservative: 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of household bleach (liquid). Add to 1 quart of water." So frustrated......... Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.ramseyadagency.com/cfbook/cf.htm

Hi Anita, Let your "protrusions" get a little root or two then carefully break off from the scale and plant in a peat pot with potting soil and put them in a protected location (sunny spot on a porch) where you can baby them. Put the scale back and it will make more bulblets. You can get a lot of "lily babies" off of one productive scale. In late summer/early fall plant the peat pots in the ground and mulch, (but pull the mulch back in early spring so they can come up and so slugs don't get them). I'd put a plant tag in each peat pot, since they'll be pretty small when they come up next year. Because of their small size things happen to bulbets pretty easily so make as many as you can to plant out. Besides, it's hard to have too many lilies! Congrats! -Helen

I'm far from an expert, but I've had Lily-of-the-valley at three different homes during my lifetime and for 30 years they've always gotten those dry cracks once the heat of summer arrives. I was actually going to post a question whether it is OK to cut back the leaves once they start to get dry like that. I assume, though, that the plants need to maximize their photosynthesis over the summer to store energy in the rhizomes (I think that is what LOTV have). Maybe with a regimented watering schedule you could keep them from getting so dry. But, my suspicion is that this is a normal part of their life-cycle.