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Alpines & Rock Gardens

Ideas for sempervivum

19 years ago

I'm sure lots of you have creative ideas for planting sempervivum. I'm hoping you could share a few. I have a few in my rock garden, but I've seen them growing in old boots, etc. (Old boots are not exactly what I'm looking for). We recently converted a room into a porch and I have lots of window space to put something nice. I was also considering trying to make a hypertufa trough to plant with small suculents. I never considered anything like this until I went to the botanical gardens in Queens, NY and saw all the tiny succulents growing in troughs! Anyway, any ideas, pics, etc would be great!

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Comments (5)

halfhardybklyn
19 years ago
Thalassa Cruso had an idea in one of her old gardening books; they do this in England. You take something like a large shallow wooden box and nail a wood lattice over the top after filling it with soil covered with wire netting. You plant the semps in this and then hang it against an outside wall.It gives them perfect drainage, sunshine and air circulation and you have a sempervivum wall. I've never tried it but it sounds like an excellent idea.
webeesemps
19 years ago
I have tried the idea that halfhardybklyn suggested. The results look like a "living picture" and I had a picture that lasted for about 5 years before the plants pooped out for one reason or another.

The size plants I use are according to the scale of the frame: I use small sized mature semps for a 6" X 9"frame and medium sized semps for a 9" X 11" frame and large semps for a 13" X 21" frame. I use redwood to make my frames and a combination of 1/4 inch chicken wire, sphagnum moss ( the blankety kind) and a mixture of soil that I am still experimenting with. I then plant the semps with dental tools and spray then with a solution of SuperThrive to help them settle into the frame. Once settled they then take off to achieve their own "look".

My semp hunting days are now spent looking for small to medium sized semps outside my home state of New Mexico because all we have here are the large sized semps which are too big for most of the frames I like to put together.
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Hens and chicks won't want to be stepped on, nor will you want to step on them. :) Most good garden centers sell something called "stepables," groundcovers that can be planted between rocks or wherever you want. They won't mind being walked on and your feet will thank you. See the link! Here is a link that might be useful: Stepables.com
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Thank you for the response. My chicks are growing very nicely. Its only some species are like this. Many are growing smaller chicks, I hope you take a look at that thread I posted. I guess I will post pics thru tinypics here later on. I live in an apartment first of all. I will put these in the balcony late spring, because atm there are squirrels that climb the entire building and dig everywhere for food. I live on the 9th floor and during spring and fall they inspect our balcony. So I dont want them digging up my chicks. During summer, here in Toronto, Canada, temps in my balcony will hit 40c. Which is really hot for semps. There will be lots of direct sun light which isnt good either. During winter there isnt enough light and the temps get real low (which isnt a problem since they are alpine). I just wanted to keep them indoors since its just easier to monitor progress.
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Yes, a Sempervivum or Hen & Chicks if you prefer. Most people don't realize the fantastic colors you can get out of the modern hybrids. Good for us colder weather folks who can't grow Echeverias outside. You should be able to turn the pot over and shake it out. The potting mixture is likely an moisture-retentive, organic mixture. This is fine for potted situations where water can be controlled. But if you are planting it outside in the native soil try to get rid of as much of the potting soil as possible. You will lose some roots but that does not phase these guys at all. What you want to avoid is a wet ball of organic mix sitting right underneath your plant surrounded by faster draining native soil. Try to integrate the roots with their new growing medium. Plant it bit too high rather than a bit too low. Continuous moisture on their bottoms is the enemy. So in my cool, rainy season I grow them over a layer of gravel. It helps keep moisture off their bottoms, helps drainage, and prevents unsightly mud splashing onto the leaves.
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socks is right - these are Alpine hardy succulents, most growing naturally in 3,000-8,000 feet and the heat in your location maybe just too much. Typically, I see majority listed as best growing in z4 - z8; quite a few in lower zones and some as high as z10. But hottest zones are bit more difficult. Maybe they would be growing better in partial shade for you? (with some morning sun, as they still will like some). Breeze would help too...And since just repotted and it is warm where you are, maybe they are taking longer to recuperate.
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andreap
19 years ago
I have some planted in conch shells, some in the garden (helps the dark foliage stand out) and some on my deck railing with houseplants. I suppose the larger the shell, the more important holes in it would be. Also have some in a little basket on the ground next to the front porch.
reneeslovenia
17 years ago
Sempervivum swappers & sellers list vol. 2 is out, with some 30 adds from all over the world, also from USA. There are more than 1500 cultivars and species listed. To get an emailed copy or to put a free add in the next list (sent out to aprox. 500 addresses), do send an email to renee@email.si.
msprettyky
17 years ago
I put about 12 varieties of semps in an herb wheel. I am hoping when it fills out it looks awesome. If anything, it will help to keep my varieties from blending.....(hopefully) :)

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