A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Flowering Hen & Chicks

I didn't know that Hen & Chicks flowered... & if I'd have made a guess at what they'd look like if they did, it wouldn't have been THIS!



I've never EVER seen this happen before!



Apparently they're pretty happy in the wheelbarrow!

Just wait until they open, they're beautiful! A little subtle in color, but georgous anyway. The head that flowered will die, but with so many offsets, you won't miss them. I'd say you've got the place for them!

It's very creative and pretty.

Patty the first time mine started to bloom I thought they were sick. LOL!!!

I hope mine flowers before it dies...the base is getting mushy like it's almost done for.

Laura,
Pull that wood stuff away from the base
of the HC, and pull away all of that rotting
leaves..
HC like it dry under them...
*rotting stuff may mean it's too moist
under the bark chips..*

Duh, I never even thought of that!

I'll head out later and do that when it cools down......it's so hot. I just thought it was getting ready to die already.

Very cool! My mom just gave me all the "babies" from her hens and chicks...Any suggestions on care??

I just planted mine in the ground...that's it!

I forgot about them in the fall and they stayed out there and made it through the winter just fine.....

My neighbor has hers stuffed in a strawberry pot and they look so cool!

Loz, did yours flower up like this?

they were definitely prettier once the flowers opened up! I don't think they lasted very long though... I got so busy with company coming, I didn't have time to pay attention to them.

I've never seen succulents bloom before! <i>But then I never paid much attention to flowers before! (I'm SOOO glad I found this place... & am allowed to live here with all the friendly & pretty that goes on!)

Everywhere I look, succulents are blooming, & they're all different! These are the blossoms that my gal pal in Vancouver, WA has on her Hen & Chicks.


In the same wheelbarrow as my Hen & Chicks, I have a bunch of different types of succulents, & they're flowering, too!

Sedum

And so are the ones under my Tea rose bush!

I think this is Dragons Blood... maybe (?)

I just popped all mine in the ground as well and they are doing great. No blooms on my hens and chicks but other succulents have bloomed.

The 'head' of sempervivum (hen & chicks) that blooms will die. Hopefully it has already put out offsets!

Those are so pretty Patty, looks great!

Very pretty Patty! I've been keeping an eye on mine...it's getting close to blooming but no cigar yet. Once it dies there will be 4 chicks left.

Very pretty Patty & Loz! I have never had much luck with placing mine in the ground, but they do fine for me if I have them in a container of some sort. I think the spring and fall rains cause them to rot, but being in a container they dry out quicker???

I have a whole line of hens and chickens blooming..Red

they look like a bunch of soldiers lined up and in bloom........
No care at allhere..Planted mine is soil that is gravel stuff.. Nothing will grow there.

They multiply like crazy..
dodge

Dodge,
How do you winterize them? I'd love to have some, but am in zone 5, and don't have room for them inside.
Thanks.

Mine stay outside in the ground all year long....I'm in zone 6.

gardeningmomma

i am zone either 5 or 6 ......Western Penna.

I let them outside all winter.. I do have one of those planters with them in it.. I just put it under the porch in the winter and take it out in the spring......
Or you can make a pot for them out of a plastic container , like a bucket , just cut holes all over it .....Takes winter well here.

try it.
Will get a photo for you to see later.
dodge

I'm trying to figure out, now that the Hen & Chicks are all done blooming & have died off...


are these new babies? ...or seeds? ...or just dead flowers?


If I take them off the stems & put them in soil, will they grow?

I think for me,
I pull them off in spring clean up...
*not usually fall clean up*
***Only cause I'm usually toooooo busy***

looks great patty!!!

.... and?

Are they babies, or seeds, or what?
What do you do with them?

(Ya, Penny... I suppose they DO look great... for DEAD STUFF!)

They pretty much take care of themselves..
I think the empty hole makes room for the others to spread out on either side really...

I never really got down and examined them to be sincerely honest....
The pile/patch just keeps growing/expanding....

Hmmm!!! The empty hole theory, eh?! I guess I never thought about that!

(It WOULD be pretty rude for Mother Nature to just leave those holes empty, in my wheel barrow! ...I guess she's got it covered then!)
(Sometimes I think that if I'd just pause & ponder, you wouldn't have to answer my silly questions!)