I'd dust any of the cuts you're going to use for pups with Rootone or the like, Crenda, but it looks good to go, with the exception of the main stem. I'd remove the first few offsets so that the stem is pupless before it goes into (my suggestion) or onto the soil. The cuts can be dusted with flowers of sulfur if you have any.

I like that idea. I worry about the bottom offsets pushing the plant stem away from the soil, too. I feel more confident have some stem in the mix instead of on it. And I'll have more chances for success. <grins>

I do have some Rootone and sulfur, so I'm ready on that front. And I bought half a dozen little 2 inch clay pots for the offsets a couple of months ago.

Thanks!

Splendid and serendipitous planning, Crenda!

Middle-stem rotting sometimes happened even in San Diego. You could tell because the stem would grow a beard of aerial roots above the infected area, in preparation for eventually separating from the main stem but equipped to go on and become its own plant.

Aloebot, is that a crested one? How big across was it? Looks pretty huge.

It was huge. Yes, it was very healthy looking. The pot is about 14" to 16". The lady who grows this says she is not a rabid gardener like us. She said she only grows a few plants at most. It's hard to see, but the topdressing is spent leaves. She wasn't sure anybody would like her crest and wouldn't have brought it if the show chair hadn't seen a picture of it and said please bring it.

Never would have thought to leave spent leaves as a top dressing, lol!

Aloebot - that is a beauty! I would be afraid to breathe on it! LOL

OT - I had a Echeveria Perle von Nurnberg pup that became crested. I was a newby and didn't know what was going on. So I asked my neighbor, who is happy to tell everyone that he has his PhD in botany. Well he went into a long explanation of it being a mutant and probably caused by a virus. And I tossed it out when he said virus. I'm still p.o.'d about that and I no longer go to him for advice!

Here are a few of the offsets from the plant above - that's a 2.5 inch toothpick.

So far, so good! (but a far cry from that crested beauty)

Crenda, that was a funny story. Also a good reminder to keep it short when I explain something (so hard to do).

Crenda-- How've you been?? I hope you've gotten rid of the mealies. I submerged several plants and cuttings in a basin with alcohol because of them. I did not immerse the cut end of course; two quick dunks in the solution was all it took for me. --Best

Hey, Neil! Good to see you! I did the next best thing to a soak. I held the cuttings by the cut end and dowsed them heavily with alcohol. So far it has worked - although I think a bowl for immersion might have gone better.

Every spring the mealies move in. It's on all plants, too. I think by the end of our dry winters the stress gets to be too much for the plants. Even though we water everything by hand and/or sprinkler, even the lawn gets crispy. And there's 2 things I can't understand...

My city requires a grass lawn in front of the house. And it also restricts watering during the winter, the dry season. We don't have to water during the wet summers! We invariably have a "drought" that requires restricting water for that required grass (if you can call St. Augustine or Floratam grass). How can we have a drought while getting 60-70 inches of rain (or more) during the year? Serious lack of planning - that bugs me every winter. LOL

Crenda-- hopefully you won't have to do the soak very often.

I am currently battling a spider-mite and scale invasion. My first time with spider-mites and its not fun. I was told to mix canola oil, mild dish soap and peppermint oil with water in a sprayer and douse the plants. As you know this oily mixture destroys the powdery coating that a lot of the succulents have which is why i didn't want to apply it. If this doesn't work i'll be soaking myself in alcohol!

When you get the time (if) can you do an update on all the Agaves you had a couple years ago?

Did you keep all the pups?