Succulents are increasingly popular as gardeners value their ease and they add a beautiful touch to a home’s interior.
Among succulents, the ‘Hens and Chicks’ (sempervivum tectorum) are particularly likable. These can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors and are ideal for rough growing conditions.
Surprisingly, these plants are edible as well. Although it might not be the first choice during a critical shortage, it is comforting to know the option exists.
If you’re looking to add some charm to your home or garden, look no further than the ‘Hens and Chicks’ succulent. Here’s how you can raise these hidden gems.
Growing Conditions for Hen and Chick Succulents
These succulents are ideal for almost all planting zones. They are particularly well adapted in zones three through eleven.
Also, these succulents can be kept in containers or directly in the ground. They require loamy soil with good drainage and full sunlight exposure.
The only downside is that ‘Hens and Chicks’ need to be kept in a temperature range of 65 to 75°F. While they will not die from higher or lower temperatures, optimal conditions are preferred.
Rather, the plant will enter a dormant phase and cease growth. If you live in hotter or colder areas, do not worry about the lack of growth from these plants.
This succulent plant can still add effortless beauty even in lower or higher planting zones.
How to Plant Hen and Chick Succulents
The cultivation of hen and chick succulents can be initiated by seeds, and it is a straightforward procedure. Depending on your preference, you can start them indoors or outdoors.
Prior to diving into planting, we should familiarize ourselves with how hen and chick succulents function, along with the options available for you.
A hen and chick plant comprises a mother plant which appears as a sizable rosette. This mother will produce daughter rosettes, or ‘chicks,’ which are smaller versions of herself. She can generate around four chicks every year.
The mother plant and the chick plants are joined through a subterranean vine resembling an umbilical cord, which forms an interdependent network that can continue reproducing for many years.
This succulent has several distinctive varieties, each of which produces different color leaves. Your options include the following:
· Bernstein for goldish leaves
· Damask for red foliage
· Big blue for blue tinted leaves
· Terracotta baby for orange tinted foliage
· Black for green leaves with unique purple tips
Now that we have covered your options, let’s talk about the planting process. If you wish to start your succulent indoors, the best method is to plant the seeds directly in cactus soil which is a blend of potting soil and sand.
Fill a grow tray with soil and place two seeds into each cell of the tray. This strategy helps ensure at least some seeds germinate.
Mist the seeds with water using a spray bottle. It is important that the soil stays damp but not soggy. Wait three to four days before commencing watering again to achieve the desired moisture level.
Keep the seed tray in a warm, sunny location to germinate the seeds. As soon as the plants reach one inch in width, you may transplant them to their permanent spots, which could be outdoor plots or movable containers.
Another method for growing hen and chicks from seeds is to scatter the seeds over the rocks or soil where they are intended to grow.
Make sure that they will get enough sunlight for germination. Water the soil or rocks gently without flooding them. Germination will take about three weeks.
As the seeds germinate, reinforce them with rocks or mulch to provide moisture retention, stability, and support.
I have pointed out that hen and chicks can be grown in rocks. These plants do not require much soil, which makes them suitable for a range of rocky or bare landscapes.
The process of starting hen and chicks succulents is very straightforward. All you need is to choose a location, select a variety, and ensure there are proper planting conditions for them to thrive.
How to Care for Hen and Chick Succulents
Caring for hen and chick succulents is easier than planting them. If you follow some very simple steps, your succulents will thrive.
The first thing you must understand is the best way to kill hen and chick succulents is to provide them too much care. They tend to thrive when neglected.
Keep this in mind when it comes to watering and fertilizing. These plants are drought tolerant and should only be watered when the soil is bone dry.
Using the deep watering approach works well for these plants. Instead of frequent light watering, apply water heavily but infrequently.
This approach will ensure that water reaches the root system while the days between watering will allow for necessary absorption.
If you are not certain whether the plants require watering, perform the knuckle test. Stick your finger next to the plant’s stem into the soil. If it is dry to your first knuckle, watering is needed.
If the soil is damp to your knuckle, give it a day or two before testing again.
When fertilizing these plants, remember to apply only half-strength diluted fertilizer during spring and summer.
Lastly, remember that the mother plant will only last between four to six years. Understanding the method of harvesting allows the iterative life cycle of these succulents to be self-sustaining. This will be elaborated upon in subsequent sections.
You should also be careful to lift the chick plants every two years to prevent the succulents from becoming too crowded. Again, the technique mentioned earlier for harvesting chick plants will be applicable here.
Further, the plant will produce blossoms during the growing season. Once the blooming period is over, be sure to deadhead the flowers.
This is all the care that is required to maintain healthy and thriving hen and chick succulents in the ground or container gardens.
Garden Pests and Diseases for Hen and Chick Succulents
Hen and chick succulents face minimal problems which is another reason gardeners love them. By paying attention to a few things, you should have a positive growing experience with these plants.
If these succulents are planted outdoors, gardeners should be aware that some animals do like to graze on them in the early spring. This is during the plant’s waking period after dormancy when it begins to produce new leaves.
To be fair, there isn’t much greenery to graze on during this time. Wildlife is drawn to this plant, so be sure to take precautions to guard your new growth.
Root rot is the next item you should concern yourself with. Planting this succulent in an area with poor drainage can severely impact the roots.
Fortunately, there is a silver lining. If this error occurs, all that needs to be done is to lift the plant out along with its rotten roots.
Afterward, remove the damaged roots and replant in a location with better drainage. These plants are remarkably resilient and should regrow roots easily.
Finally, keep an eye out for aphids. They will sap the hen and chick succulents and, if allowed, cause damage. Treat your hen and chick plants with insecticide at the first signs of aphids, but be ready to repeat as necessary.
These are the only concerns to keep in mind when cultivating hen and chick plants. Luckily, these plants are tough, so they can endure and recover from most challenges.
How to Propagate Hen and Chick Succulents
Around four rosettes are produced by each mother plant in a single growing season. In due time, the chicks are sure to grow into the hens.
Letting plants propagate naturally is fine until the region becomes too populated. At this point, you might consider relocating some of them to different zones.
To relocate your succulents, carefully detach the chicks from the ground. This step will separate them from the mother plant. Take the small plant and transplant elsewhere.
Add water as necessary and verify that the other growth parameters are correct. If all conditions are met, the plant should root and adapt in due time.
For some gardeners, nurturing hen and chick succulents can be quite enjoyable. If you wish to try a new gardening project or are looking for plants that can change the aesthetics of your home, these lovely succulents can serve that purpose.
For starting gardeners, this is a perfect choice as well. Regardless of your motives for growing these succulents, the simplicity they provide should ensure a favorable experience for everyone.