When I have pups like yours, with little roots, Ill plant them up in pure pumice first for a few months. Ill keep them shaded and apply water fairly often. Since the water doesnt stay in the medium the roots can grow and the chance of rot is very low. This has worked for me on agaves and aloes.

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! :)

So i resoiled the dirt recently and luckily the aloes roots didnt rot! I think i did hear a little awwwww coming from them ;) I also repotted the astrophytum ... it was in one of those pots with the attached water catcher thing, and it got plugged with dirt! I didnt want to plant it in that pot anymore, so i put it in a plastic pot, inside that one, so hopefully that helps ... Didnt have enough time to check euphorbia horrida, as it got dark, so lets see if that is ok tomorrow ...

Growing an Aloe Vera (or most other Aloe species - there are more than 300 of them!) is not a difficult matter, if a few basic rules are followed: If grown in a pot, allow the root ball plenty of room to grow; aloes are voracious growers, and having space to do so is necessary. When you repot, allow a growing area three to five times the size of the root ball. Use a well-draining soil. The number of soils A. vera will grow in is quite large, but a basic cactus mix available at home improvement centers is quite suitable. You may wish to experiment with other soils, but one thing it needs is to be well draining, so even a home-made concoction of 1/3 sand, 1/3 soil, and 1/3 pumice/gravel is better than straight potting soil. Aloes don't like to be cold and they don't like wet feet. Pot up your aloe in soil up to the root ball. Use top dressing (gravel/pebbles) on top of the soil to give it a finished look, hold down the dirt, and reduce evaporation. Do not water a newly repotted aloe for a few days. This gives it a chance to get used to its new home, as well as allowing time for any roots that have broken to seal themselves. After a few days, a light watering, perhaps with some B-1 in the water, is recommended. Most aloes grow vegetatively from April to October so water regularly with that in mind. The rest of the year, watering twice a month is sufficient. Water when the soil is dry - rainwater is the best - so that may mean twice a month, or once a week, or some combination thereof. Aloes are very forgiving and they can go a long time without water, but they grow best with it. If in doubt about watering, don't water. Don't forget - they shouldn't be cold and wet. Some aloes will withstand a freeze, but many will turn to mush. No one wants a mushy aloe! Fertilize from April through Septrember, twice a month, with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, heavily diluted. You can try Miracle-Gro 15-30-15, diluted to about 1 to 5. Many aloes produce 'pups'. When the pup is fully formed, detach it from the mother plant, let it callus over for a few days in a cool, dry area, and pot it up. If it has roots, pot as you would a regular aloe, allowing for the fact that it is smaller and should be in a suitably sized pot for its size. If it has no roots, let it callus over, place the cut/broken end ON the soil, and support it with top dressing. DO NOT WATER IT-it has no roots, so watering the soil will likely cause rot. Instead, mist it every few days. Roots should start forming within a month. When growth is evident, it can be watered. Aloe vera flowers are yellow, but others flower in hues of pink/red/orange/white/gray. They start as a spike that gradually gets larger and finally opens, lasting a long time. Aloe flowers are beacons for hummingbirds, so be prepared to be buzzed by these lovely creatures if you are amongst your aloes when they are flowering. For more information, seek out fellow succulent plant people, join your local/national society, and take advantage of the advice and experience they are able to offer. Stop by our Cacti and Succulents forum for tips and friendly conversation. Lastly, these are not ironclad rules. What works for others may not work for you. Experiment a little if you think that's what is needed as your growing conditions are likely different. Aloes are very adaptable creatures, within limits, of course.