Good Morning Forum,
This is my first post so bare with me please. I thought this would be the best place to post this concern I have with my Sempervivum Chicks. I just lost the mother hen due to root rot and that was very unfortunate because she was producing many baby chicks right before I transplanted her into a new pot. Anyways, I have a few of her chicks that I do not want to die and they too are growing upward and the bottom leaves have started to curl under. I took a few pictures of them up close in hopes that maybe someone can help me fix this problem. I have also bought a fluorescent light fixture to try and help them receive more light. I am currently growing them indoors until it gets warmer as I live in Michigan. They also are provided with indirect sunlight pretty much all day as well. Please any help to keep them living and growing would be much appreciated.

Thank You,

Jookieblue; I have posted a link to your question in the Jovibarba and Sempervivum forum where you will probably get a faster answer!

Hi and I 'm fairly new to semps, but to me it looks like lack of light, so your new lights should help. They are much happier out doors than as house plants, they love the cold and snow. It's possible that it's stating to flower, but that seems unlikely if the new chicks are doing the same thing.

Jookieblue.
Over all the semp leaves look healthy. It appears to be etoliating, lengthening upward, trying to find light.
Where do you live?
Sempervivum do much better outdoors in full sun, unless you live in one of the areas of the southwest, with very harsh summer sun and drying winds.
If the main rosette died from root rot it means it is being kept to warm, with soil that is holding to much moisture.
Can you describe to us what it's growing conditions are?

Sorry about your dilemma but it brought you to us...So

Hi Jookieblue Since you're in Michigan you probably don't want to stick them outside right now if they've been indoors, but like Lynn said, maybe find a cooler place in the house and the lights should stop them from growing tall. Hope you'll be staying here with us. There will be a big Sempervivum Week on All Things Plants next week that you're sure to enjoy!

Opps, missed the part about being in Michigan. That would be a shock to them.
Once your weather is spring like you can plant them outdoors and leave them year round.

Thank you all for the wonderful welcomes

I currently have my other chicks (see picture) in a mixture of stones on the bottom, Part Sand Part Succulent Dirt with more Pebbles on top. I heard that I should sort of mound up the dirt and place the chick on top to make sure the root doesn't stay moist to long. In the picture I added two new succulents which I don't know the names of in the middle and the baby chicks are around them.

The chick I have posted a picture of in the first post is just in succulent dirt with a few stones on the bottom. I would love to make sure they are well taken care of and I am really hoping that the new light i provided them will help them to stop stretching upward and resemble a healthy mama hen.

Any suggestions are very much welcomed

Hmmm, this photo is rather blurry, but it looks like you have a bloom on one of them. And the really tall one looks like it is forming a bloom stalk?
They definitely need more light and a cool place.

Chris how do you handle the ones you keep in your garage during winter?
I don't have that problem, even if new plants arrive in Jan. Our winter is much milder, so I just plant them outdoors, even if it snows.

valleylynn said:Opps, missed the part about being in Michigan. That would be a shock to them.
Once your weather is spring like you can plant them outdoors and leave them year round.

I would love to be able to plant them outside and leave them year round!! Right now I just want to keep it doing well inside so it will stay alive

valleylynn said:Hmmm, this photo is rather blurry, but it looks like you have a bloom on one of them. And the really tall one looks like it is forming a bloom stalk?
They definitely need more light and a cool place.

Chris how do you handle the ones you keep in your garage during winter?
I don't have that problem, even if new plants arrive in Jan. Our winter is much milder, so I just plant them outdoors, even if it snows.

The middle succulents I do not believe are hen and chicks....im not sure what those are. I have little chicks around those middle succulents. These in the middle seem to be doing great and ill be looking up what those are tonight as soon as I find them. Ive attached a picture of those middle succulents to view better. Maybe you guys can help me to identify them.

Im just more concerned with keeping the baby chicks healthy. I will try moving them to a cooler area as well and keep them under the light.

Whew, that's better. These old eyes don't see as well as they used to.
Your little ones should make it to spring.
Just remember, keep them cool and on the dry side. And as much light as you can give them.

The one in the front is a type of haworthia isn't it? I would start your search there!

I usually don't mix sempervivums with haworthias. They have different light exposure needs. Hawas do well indoors in minimal light ( I have raised them in the bathroom) but you all know that semps need lots of light when growing to maintain their shape/form.

webesemps said:I usually don't mix sempervivums with haworthias. They have different light exposure needs. Hawas do well indoors in minimal light ( I have raised them in the bathroom) but you all know that semps need lots of light when growing to maintain their shape/form.

I believe you are correct webesemps. I think the correct name is Haworthia coarctata from doing my google searches. Maybe I should take that out and re-pot it elsewhere?

Does anyone know about how long it takes for Sempervivums to start growing wider and producing chicks of themselves? Also, should I be fertilizing my chicks regularly?

Thank you for all of your help!!

I don't fertilize my sempervivum, they are a plant that grows in very lean circumstances. They should start improving and growing in size once they are outdoors.

Hi Jookie, yep that is a Haworthia coarctata and Bev (webesemps) is right they like less light but also warm, whereas the semps (hens and chicks) like cold, I totally recommend separating them. The other plants looks like a graptopetelum, and that would do fine with the hawarthia! The first year I had semps I kept them all indoors and they did terribly, 2 things I did wrong; 1-tried keeping them warm like other succulents, and 2-watered them too much! If you keep them indoors make sure to keep them in a cold window or something, and cut way back on water!! Your hawarthia looks great by the way!!
I'm originally from Detroit and now live in Seattle, still consider myself to be a Michigander!
Also be prepared to get really really excited about these little hens and chicks plants, cause these people on here are totally obsessed, and its contagious!

you're doomed...

I know huh? Serse, Jookie just seems too interested already! (we've all been there Jookie!!) I joined ATP last November and now I've decided to pretty much just go with Semps!

Thank You!!! Yes I will take those two out of my little rock garden and just keep Semps in there and keep them cool. I had the mama Hen for over a year and she just died. I am trying to revive her but nothing seems to be working. She was producing so many babies for me and then as soon as I transplanted mama within a few weeks she was rotting away. I just feel so terrible!! I really hope these little chicks start doing better and with the help of you all Im sure I will keep them thriving. I would really like to find a mature Semp that could start producing baby chicks for me rather than waiting a whole season for my little ones to grow up. Thank you by the way I am new to the Succulent World but have really gotten into trying to learn as much as possible. All of my plants are becoming my babies lol and it has really been keeping me busy which I love. I have over 30 plants now and I have started adding them to my list on here but have not added them all quite yet. I am managing to keep my Aloe plant and Pony Palm along with my new Flapjack succulents alive so far Have any of you experianced your chicks growing as mine are? Did the light issue correct this? Just curious. When you say a cool window what is the ideal temp for a semp?

Thank you all again for such quick responses and great advise for this newbie!!