New to Hens & chicks

13 years ago

I bought my first one this past summer and so far its doing nicely...except they are getting too tall and straggling. Is this typical? The tag says to keep it warm ( its in a 80" warm south window during the winter ) and moist. I see little babies at the base, but also see some bottom 'leaves' turning brown and shrivel. Don't know what else to do to prevent it from getting worse. BTW, I have it over a covered radiator.

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leftwood

13 years ago

Of course, what you have pictured is not Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum sp.) at all. But that's inconsequential to your question. I disagree about the light conditions. If you have the blinds drawn, even as open as they can be, that is really cutting a lot of light out. Your sunniest (unobstructed) window indoors is like open shade outdoors. Remember that the glass itself filters out much of the uv wavelengths. Mostly, plants use light in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum.

so my advice is get rid of the blinds, easy up on the watering, and if you can deflect the heat from the radiator away from the plants, all the better.

The legginess that is there will not go away. Once the plant starts growing in more desirable proportions, you'll probably want to cut that part off and restart it in another pot. They will re root very easily.

Rick

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Comments (9)

botann
13 years ago
Most Hen and Chicks I know are outside plants and don't take well being grown inside. I wouldn't put it out in the middle of winter now though, especially in Zone 6.
Can you post a picture?
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boothbay
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, here are two pics of them.
{{gwi:370038}}

{{gwi:370039}}

Are they known for getting tall or is there a limit?
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botann
13 years ago
I'm no expert when it comes to naming succulents. When I worked at a nursery years ago the crows were always stealing the name tags. We didn't grow the indoor types of Hen and Chicks or other succulents. That's what I think you have.

Legginess is caused by too much heat in combination with too much water, and lack of adequate light. It looks like you have enough light. They need a cooler window, and less water. Repotting in larger containers using a very gritty mix would help too. Go easy on the water. They can go over a month without it and it would be doing them a favor.
Hope this helps.
I do have a few indoor types now though.
Hope this helps.

Mike
Pics of my garden. http://community.webshots.com/user/phildert
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botann
13 years ago
I'm no expert when it comes to naming succulents. When I worked at a nursery years ago the crows were always stealing the name tags. We didn't grow the indoor types of Hen and Chicks or other succulents. That's what I think you have.

Legginess is caused by too much heat in combination with too much water, and lack of adequate light. It looks like you have enough light. They need a cooler window, and less water. Repotting in larger containers using a very gritty mix would help too. Go easy on the water. They can go over a month without it and it would be doing them a favor.

I do have a few indoor types now though.
Hope this helps.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: My garden pics
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boothbay
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Mike, i had no idea that there were indoor types and outdoor types. I was treating it according to the tag that came with it...keep it moist, and warm..so I have it in a south window during this wintry season on top of a radiator...perhaps too much heat. Why would the tag say to keep it moist? I did see them outside my church in a small alcove where they were blooming...not a rock garden, just something thrown in among other flowers by the church keeper.
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boothbay
Original Author
13 years ago
Of course, what you have pictured is not Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum sp.) at all.>>>

Thanks, Rick...i finally found the tag that came with it and its called "California sunset" ( Graptosedum ) If its not of the H * C family, what is it? Of course i could google and find out that way too. LOL
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Lynn-john Burcham
8 years ago
Ok my chicks seems to be leaving the hen. I keep in side this winter cause it was new and didn't want it to die I now have outside on the porch for about a week or two now. It gets the east sun until about 12 or maybe earlier than that. Can you tell me what I need to do. Here's a picture
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
That photo also doesn't look like hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) to me. I'd suspect it is some sort of tender succulent, most likely an Aeonium, but suggest you post on the Cacti and Succulents forum for confirmation.

Hens and chicks are an incredibly hardy grouping of plants, fully winter hardy outdoors to zone 3. They tend to be very flat, spreading plants and only extend their growth when they produce flowers, after which the flowering mother plant (hen) dies. The chicks will form along side the hen and look exactly like her but in miniature - see this link for an example of "true" hens and chicks.

The more tender succulents - and there are many - are much more fussy both about cold, soil conditions and watering - they are for the most part true desert dwellers, whereas H&C are native to mountainous areas of southern Europe. When posting in the Cactus forum, I would also ask suggestions about repotting, as the mix your plants are in looks far too dense and moisture retentive for their preferences. That's why your extensions (aeoniums can produce 'arms' or branches) are not looking good.
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