Hello Linda I live in Alexandria, Egypt (a climate very similar to costal parts of southern California) and I casually keep few plants. I have been having an Aloe Vera colony for many years now (about 20 years), and to my surprise , I have had one of the old plants shoot a lovely flower. The point is: I grow them in a balcony, so there will probably not be birds or insects to pollinate it. I have thought of using a brush to pollinate it (I am really eager to grow little ones from seed), but I don't know how effective would this be, and if there is any specific technique to do that other than merely passing the brush over the anther and the stigma of same flower/ neighbouring flowers. I have ONLY ONE PLANT in bloom, and I am worried it would not self polinate. Can you give me any idea on that?

Yes and yes. Don't overwater it - only when it appears thirsty and the weather is warm (if still outside).

I have noticed that a lot of my Aloes brown up a bit after a repot. I chalked it up to stress from the repot. All eventually returned to normal, but as mesembs said, do watch for sunburn. That will not return to normal. During the summer we have lots of rain, every day, and my plants stay pretty green. But in the winter we are quite dry. And I have been known to forget to adjust my watering schedule when the door slams shut on the rains! IN the end, the plants are healthy, they just look different. After watering my Aloe juvenna looks normal again. =)

Agree with what daxeek said... It is definitely etiolated. That color - from reddish to darker, almost brown - is desired by many. It happens in strong light. Acclimatizing any succulent to full sun is important for any plant, to avoid sunburn. Which is different from suntan :) Just MO, but it is overpotted - pot too large for plant. But you could leave it in it, since this plant should grow fast and will fill up that pot eventually. In the meantime, it is important to make sure it doesn't sit in soil that is wet for too long. Big pot = lots of soil/mix = takes longer to dry up. Easiest way to find out how dry it is would be using bamboo skewer (or chopstick, thin dowel or even pencil). That way you can insert it deep inside - more important to know how wet or dry it is deep in the pt. Top will dry up fast, but roots are deeper and will rot if in wet medium for long times. IF MY plant, I would cut it quite a bit. Something like this (just a suggestion): yellow line is where I would be trimming off long branches and leaving rest (with roots) in the pot; these should continue growing. Blue line suggest trimming long cuttings, they are just too long. But you could cut them into few pieces: Etiolated parts will stay as long as they are, so your plant will not look as neat as it could. That's why you need to trim/behead it. Any cuttings can be stuck in dry medium, and they will root fast and easy. Mine are still outside, and will be until it gets consistently cold overnight. Hoping for few weeks...In the meantime, they are exposed to any rain we get, and none is suffering. Crenda grows many outside (great weather in Fla!), bring them indoors for winter. But you have to assure good light, otherwise it will keep growing same. Above all: do not be terrified :) ETA: Crenda posted great post and photos...and, pls. indicate where you are (best to put that info next to your name as others do).