Hens & Chickens Mix (Succulents)
Latin Name: Sempervivum tectorum
Item #: 5013601
Difficulty:
Challenging
SUCCULENTS (Hens & Chickens)
Perennial
CULTURE: This is one of the most popular perennial pot plants for retail sales from early May until fall. Mature, saleable plants should be at least 12 months old. Sow in Jiffy Mix about April 1st- 5th. Seed is very fine and varies in size from dust to petuni sized seed. Soak the seed flat thoroughly before sowing, with 70°F/21°C water and a good fungicide to prevent disease. Mark rows 2 in/5 cm apart and 1/8 in/3 mm deep, 0.5 in/6 mm wide with the edge of a label or marking board. Sprinkle row sparsely with course vermiculite. The large granules of vermiculite will draw moisture to the seed in the row and prevent the fine seed from washing out the ends of the row without covering the seed. You should be able to sow two (12x20 in/31x51 cm) seed flats with 1/256 oz/0.1 g of seed. Cover seed flat after sowing with plastic or glass. Germinate at a soil temp. of 65°F/18°C for 10-24 days. Remember this is a mixture, some rare types may take up to 24 days to germinate. Transplant about 90 days later into flats using a soil mixture of 1/2 garden loam (sterilized if possible) and 1/2 Jiffy Mix. Keep the flats watered throughout the summer.
TRANSPLANT into 4 in/10 cm individual pots of 6 in/15 cm or combination pans anytime after Christmas or outside in May. They are very hardy, almost impossible to kill.
