Aloe

Hopefully they will be happier in the warm living room.

I find the aloe vera to be the most finicky. Our tiger tooth aloe seems to be fine no matter where we put it. Which kinds of aloes do you have?

I think perhaps you're right @gjones. I have no idea which kinds I have, but only what I think is aloe vera seems to be in trouble. The small spiky one is only there because I think it looks nice. I have many babies of that one and they all seem to be doing fine in the orangery.

These are lovely! I hope they are happier here for you. I must have just been lucky with mine in a west window. I thought it would be cold there, but it's doing ok.

We'll see if it is too much of a shock moving them from cold and damp 4 degrees to 22 very dry ones. Hopefully they will be ok @columbiariver. It was a small plant from IKEA some years ago, now it is larger and divided several times. Don't think I've overwintered it in the orangery before.

All you succulent lovers out there: When my aloe turns mushy brown and gel-like, have I given it too much water, or is it something else? It has hardly gotten any all winter, but perhaps my orangery has been too cold and damp for it?

@gjones, you said some of your succulents suffer in winter. How do they look? With windows above and all around, mine get as much daylight as there is, but perhaps it isn't enough?

@emve I've really had to experiment with amounts of sunlight and water. Our winters are cold with very low humidity. We have forced air heating which dries the plants out very quickly. I have to water the plants at least twice a week and 3 grow lights help with the light requirement but even then some get leggy. Try putting your aloe in a warmer less humid area. See if that helps. I had one leaf go mushy too but I moved it into a warmer area and it's doing ok now.

I think I will try that @gjones. There is no heating at all in that room, and temps this time of year typically are between 4 and 10 degrees. If I'm not careful, mold can be an issue on over-wintering pots (but not on my succulents since they are kept dry).