The problem with pea gravel (which I have used) is that it is smooth as opposed to the sharp edges of the crushed granite or chicken grit.
Pumice is excellent, but can be spendy in comparison to the other to choices. I quite using perlite because it ends up migrating to the top of the soil.

Succulent is a succulent whatever the name, that out of the way why do they want the top to show moisture? Why do they need so much moisture retention capability of the soil? Why do they need to be fertilised?
The requirement is for free draining, my succulents, cactus get enough moisture from the atmosphere(that is why they are shiny, for moisture to condense) normally, while that moisture has enough micronutrients to meet their requirement.
I use Growmore fertiliser but at quarter of recommended dose even then my ulcer causes problems. Add in a pinch of vinegar in the water to drop the PH to 6(bacteria needs acidic medium to thrive and fix nitrogen), crushed sharp granite or silica sand. Those pebbles are not mixed into the soil but used as a top mulch(dressing) to keep the medium cool and retain moisture unless I want the lime they contain. Some clay to give body to the potting mix or plants can lie down. I prefer little bit of leaf mulch but hate manure here. To much Uric acid which burns the plants.
Lynn how about a instruction manual for dummies feeling up to it? Come on, as it is we are both in our second childhood. Lets make snow angels .
Regards,
Arif.

I am a newcomer to the Sempervivum world. I did some research after stumbling upon the plant and being reminded of the ones my grandma had. I live in zone 8 or 9 (depends on what website I am looking at). I wanted to know if the semps can take our sun at 100 plus degree temps during the summer? I have some planted in Als gritty mix but others in cactus soil. Does anyone know what I should expect in the way of success?

Hi Stephanie & Cruddy!

to ATP!!!

I'm not usually on this forum, since I don't grow Sempervivum and Jovibarba, but I wanted to welcome both of you newcomers and I just transferred 25 acorns each to you so you can both get 5 badges!

Marilyn

Wow, thank you so much!

Greg to ATP!

I think I might have you before on other forums, but I didn't want you to feel left out. I noticed you got some our cool looking badges!

Marilyn

Stephanie,

You are very !

Just want to send and spread the joy to our new members!

I figured I had the acorns and I wanted you to get badges too!

Neat!

I noticed you got yourself two badges already Stephanie! I got the southwest catcus one also. I like to grow plants that will grow in the Southwest too, just not Sempervivum and Jovibarba plants!

Hi Marilyn, that is really nice of you!! I like these badges, and took lots of photos and found a couple semps that weren't in the database, and the other Marilyn (CDSister) gave me 5 acorns to get my 12th badge! Gotta have that 12th badge (can you tell I like collecting)

Meanwhile Cruddy...what semp is your avatar? - its really pretty!
I'm not an expert on semps its been almost a year since I got my first order, I'm also in zone 8 but we have very mild weather here,
pretty sure in hotter sunny areas they will need shade especially from afternoon summer sun
Also we love photos here!!! So, if you have some of your gardens bring 'em on!
Cheers

Thanks Greg!

I love collecting also (plants and badges)!

That was nice of Marilyn (CDSister) to give you acorns too!

I was thrilled!! It was completely out of the blue

Hi Cruddy, Happy you've joined our group!

With 100 deg. temps, definitely keep them out of full sun during the hottest part of the day. Also be sure to keep them on the dry side. With those warm temps and too much water they will rot pretty easily. Last summer we had strange weather here and had quite a few weeks in the high 90s and mine did fine. I do have some semp gardens in full sun so during those temperatures I covered the beds with weed barrier cloth to protect them. They came through great! You may want to keep an eye on those that are planted in cactus soil as that doesn't seem to keep them quite as happy as the others. Als gritty mix should be excellent for them!

So, did you get a whole bunch of sempervivum, or only started out with a few? So far

Thank you very much Marilyn. I love good people! Appreciate you for the acorns.

GG

My semp is called Crispyn and it was completely grayish green when i got it in December! I have it in about 4-5 hours of full sun and it just started turning this glowing red about 2 weeks ago. The avatar does not actually do it justice.

goldfinch4

Thanks for the information. I am in the process of transferring the ones I have into the gritty mix. Its so hard for me to break my bad habits as this is my first time using it. I purchased about 12 different varieties so far with 4 more to come. I have to watch it as I have a tendency to go over board. My wife is already calling me a hoarder!

GG is your avatar Fuego? Thats what mine looks like right now but I am not 100% convinced that they were labeled correctly. This is a picture of it when I got it back in Dec.

Cruddy, I too am glad you found your way to ATP. And I am looking forward to seeing more photos of your sempervivum. I was so thrilled to see your photo of Crispyn waiting to be added to the database. Our very first photo for this plant.
Your above photo looks to be correct for S. 'Fuego', here is a link. Does it ever go through some amazing color changes. Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Fuego')

I agree with what the others said about giving your semps afternoon shade for your summer conditions. And also with what Chris said about the cactus mix and keeping them on the dry side during the really hot weather. Hot and wet can be lethal to them.

I also sent you acorns, and you can earn more by adding photos to the database and many more ways to earn them.
You'll want to earn as many as you can by the first part of March, we will be having amazing raffle items during 'Sempervivum Week'.

My lips are sealed as to what those items are, but 'Oh my' are you all going to be jumping up and down.

Hey Marilyn, how wonderful to see you here.
I can see you skipping around ATP with a basket of acorns hanging over your arm.

Ooh Lynn cannot wait!
Cruddy, my avatar is S. 'Oh My' - just got it in Dec. and its color changes are so exciting!! Highly recommend it, and it sounds like Lynn is giving us a hint of what will be in the raffle Thanks for the photos! I love seeing the different semps so I can know what I want...oh heck, I pretty much want them all! I'm not a hoarder..."collector" and since anything more than one can be a collection, well...there is something interesting about a hoarder brain, how we process and have the ability to get/know where something is among all the stuff!
Cheers

Welcome to all the new viewers of the Semp forum.

I am still a newbie as I joined less than a year ago, but do love this group.

I was the gifted with acorns when I was new and it is such an encouragement. So I have had a chance to

"play it forward" from time to time. It is fun. Have not participated in the infamous "acorn tossing contest" though.

Will try to build up my acorns for the MARCH contest, Maybe I need to go nudge my sleeping babies out there and get

some new pics. You guys are crazy and contagious.

Well GG its a very nice looking Semp. I will need to get one of these. What site did you get it at.

I got it at Young's nursery - there are several so here is the link
www.youngs-garden.com
They give a free plant with each order, usually a different cultivar from what you ordered so you can see others. This was a great surprise, I'd read that they did this but forgot so when I received the order and it was in there I was so excited, and now that it looks so good, I'm even happier! I highly recommend Youngs and SMG (squawmountaingardens.com) partly because I'm in Seattle so it feels local(ish)
I think your semp may have to be added to my list Cruddy (has anyone told you that its a cool screenname?)
Remember cruddy -you've been warned! I innocently came on here looking for growing advice with my 15 or so semps and now after only less than 3 months I don't even know how many I have, but lots! probably 60 different cultivars, its been totally fun though!