Jalal is about 2 hours south of me, my pond is still running with the occasional peek at the fish. The heater is getting a workout this year. Lots of snow this early in the year, another inch this morning. We are hanging just under 0 now, hope it lasts. The bunny trail to the pond is getting a lot of use this year

Well, an offshoot can theoretically be transplanted at any size. It really is best if the offshoot has roots before you plant it. To be on the safe side, I might hold off until the pup reaches 2 inches in height. As for the mother plant, the sad-looking base shouldn't be anything to worry about, unless it is getting moldy. If the plant starts to rot, the stem at the base and up will progressively get off-colored. I recently had to do the same with my aloe. I had watered the cut plant when I transplanted it, and that got it starting to mold. I cut off the discolored portion and it started to root after a few weeks. It molded more easily because I really didn't let the cut callus over, and I should have. I'd say for the parent plant, let the cut callus over, if it hasn't already, and don't water it. You can check it every so often for roots, like once a week. The same treatment will work for the pup also. It is best if it has roots to begin with, though. No worries! :)

I REALLY wish GW had better search features - like, a lot of people here know your kitchen plans, while others (like me), don't. Sorry. It sounds like you live on a farm and want a country kitchen. Well, I'm from the Northeast - and Soapstone has been used here - in farmhouses - for CENTURIES! Ditto wide plank pine floors. That being said, if you are going with dark cabinets, it may be too dark for your tastes. Personally, I LOVE retro tiled countertops, but a LOT of people hate them because grime gets in the grout. If you go with tile make sure NOT to use white grout - impossible to keep clean (even if sealed). I love wood counters too, but still I would never put them next to a sink or stove - I really want to be able to put a hot pot on my counter without needing a trivet. And, well, even though I am obsessed with Tung Oil, and yes, it has been used for centuries to waterproof boats, it will need to be re-applied too often if wet dishes are left on it - therefore it is more work than I intend to do in my new kitchen. My main countertops will be soapstone or concrete simply because they require the LEAST amount of maintenance in the long run and only get better with age and wear. If you like gray but soapstone is too dark, ordinary gray Portland Cement (no color added) works, but it is more modern. Ground / wet-sanded to a fine polish and dirt won't get stuck in the pores. I'm not even planning on sealing mine if I go that route - why bother - I have no intention of re-sealing it at a later date. And hey, if sidewalks aren't sealed and I'm not planning on walking with muddy boots on my counter, any "dirt" will only add to the patina! I also LOVE stainless counters with integrated sinks - but they are expensive. My Grandmother had this as the countertop on the sink side of her kitchen and butcherblock everywhere else - it was a VERY country kitchen with pine cabinets and brick floors and it worked! This is by far the LEAST maintenance countertop choice. I'm going to have to compare costs of this vs. soapstone with a sink cut-out - it might just work out to be the same cost, but I already have a lot of stainless, so it will probably feel too cold in my kitchen. If I go with charcoal grey base cabs, maybe, if I go with stainless base cabs, no way! As for sinks, do yourself a favor and get a big DEEP sink! But fireclay or porcelain enamel over cast iron is NOT the best choice - chips too easily. I actually have a giant antique Art Deco double-bowl sink with a drainboard that clips over either bowl; one bowl is 8" deep, the other is 15" deep - but I really don't want to put it in the new kitchen because it already has a couple nicks in it and I don't want to have to worry and carfeully "place" my dirty pots and pans in it. I think I'll just buy a big stainless farmhouse sink instead and not worry about ruining the finish.

Looks like A. arborescens. It looks pretty healthy for an indoor large Aloe. Do you have an outdoor area available? It can certainly live outside for the summer, if you are in a cold climate, although it must be introduced to direct sunlight very gradually to avoid sunburn. The blackspots are a fungal infection, not necessarily dangerous, just unattractive. The plant isolates the infected spots effectively, if the plant is otherwise healthy. My outdoor Aloes develop a bit of it in cool, rainy winters (when we have cool, rainy winters). There are drainage holes in that pot, right?