Some questions regarding shipping semps and what people do to best prepare them for the time out of the ground.

I have several large semps that have been in pots and are very pot bound, lots of fibrous roots. Do I (gently) pull most of those off, leaving the long tap root, or do I leave all this root material on? It seems that if I leave it on it will take up a lot of space.

How long before shipping do you "bare root" the plant? I bare root by brushing dirt off and then hosing it down and letting dry.

I guess those are my 2 main questions...wanted to get this thread started before we begin trading...can you tell where my heads at!

Thanks
Cheers

Greg, Lynn did a great article about that: http://garden.org/ideas/view/v...

Thanks Chris, I'll check it out!

Thats good to know. Thanks for the link goldfinch4.

You're welcome. Lynn did a great job with the instructions!

it makes it clear what to do

So sorry I didn't address sempervivum roots in that article. I've never clipped off roots except ones that look damaged from harvesting.
This would be a great thing to do an experiment on.
A group of semps with main tap root cut off
A group of semps with just the fine roots cut off, leaving the tap root
A group of semps with all roots cut off
A group of semps with all roots left in tact

I'm thinking that I'll trim them, mostly because the weight otherwise is in roots which grow readily, rather than rosettes which I think grow slower.

I don't think I would trim the fine roots. Maybe you could try just the two experiments.
1. Trim the fine roots only
2. Trim the tap root only

What do you think?

I'll look at them again tomorrow and see what seems right...the root ball seems way larger than what it should be based on seeing other semps' roots, which is why I think its roots from like weeds and what not mixed in...but I'll see tomorrow

Take a photo for us Greg. Some varieties form very dense root masses.

Ok I will, these are the NOIDs that I call "common houseleeks" so I imagine they probably are the kind that have dense root systems, its just amazing how dense! (too bad they're not edible!)
If these guys were edible it'd make them the perfect plant huh??!

I just looked it up, mildly toxic, don't eat them Greg.
And I hope they didn't hear you type that.

Had to reread that last part! Yes I hope not either! Okay, so no eating semps, or semp roots!

They will sleep well tonight, now that they know you won't eat them.

Aw, you were all worried about your babies! You thought maybe I'd try them??

No, I new these would be okay, to young, not big enough to fill you up.

late night snack??