Hello everyone! I purchased my very first Semp about four weeks ago. I have since ordered an Oddity. I am happy to say that they are both still alive. I dont have a great track record with plants. I think I may have found my niche with Semps though. Before I break the bank I wanted to ask a few questions though.

1. I live in zone 9A. Should I stick with containers? It is fairly humid here and I am not sure if topdressing the soil will be enough.

2. How quickly do Semps grow and spread?

3. If I put different types in a strawberry planter, would I be risking hybridization (hmmm, is that a word?)

Looking forward reading the answers. In the meanwhile I am going to do some research.

Moxie. Glad to have you here and congrats to owning your first semp and keeping them alive.
Good questions that have a variety of answers depending on where you live, microclimates around the house, quality of your soil, which semps you buy, etc.

I will answer one; the one about containers. They are definitely a choice you should stick to if you already feel comfortable planting in them. I think they are more versatile to move around to accommodate various light exposures, locations, water saving methods. But don't limit your self to just that if you prefer to have a more natural or expansive garden that you can handle and compliment your living outdoor space.

Don't know if you are familiar with Succulents in general but they grow slow and have smaller root systems so don't generally take up that much space unless you plan to have a lot. Semps can flourish in containers.


Ok, reached my limit of typing. I think I can hear a few ATPers snoring in the other zones...

Enjoy your new interest!

Ok back again with insomnia. Will make another attempt at those questions.

1) Soil for semps is ideal when the soil provides good drainage. Various amendments that can improve drainage is small rock or grit (volcanic, perlite, large grain sand). Top dressing is good when it can keep the foliage dry on top of soil to prevent rot. Semps do not like their feet kept wet so a good thorough watering and then a period of drying in between is good.

2) Different semps have different growth rates. Differences in the conditions for growing will affect rate of growth and spread. Size of plant and growing habit of plant will affect appearance and growth of spread. Small semps aren't going to appear to spread as far as bigger ones. Some semp types mound in growth so spread is smaller appearing and others spread out their offsets (chicks) on long stolons and so enable to the chicks to establish themselves further away from mother hen.

3) I guess putting semps anywhere in close proximity and in uncontrolled environment would contribute to hybridization.

Hi Moxie It's great to have you here. It sounds like you have quite a bit of self control - only having two semps so far. We'll have to see what we can do about that!

Bev did a great job answering your questions. Humidity with high heat can be a problem for semps by contributing to rot. I think starting out with containers is a good idea. Like Bev said, be sure your potting mix drains well.

I've never had a problem with hybridization. As soon as the flowers are done blooming I remove the flower stalks so no seeds fall on the soil and grow. If you wanted to see what the seeds produce, I'd plant them in a separate area. There shouldn't be any problems with that in a strawberry pot either.

Again, Bev hit it right on the head with growth rates. If you have a particular semp in mind you can look in the database or ask here on the forum to see if you can get an idea of whether it's a good producer or not too. Some are more prolific than others.

They're awesome little plants and I'm sure you'll love em!

Hi Moxie and to the maddness of the Semp forum!

You've had some great answers to your questions, so I don't really have anything to add, just a warning: You be careful of these guys. I arrived in Febuary looking for a bit of advice on how to plant some semp seeds, and how best to look after a few common houseleeks that my Grandad used to grow. 3 months on I've had to dig up a good size chunk of my garden to accomodate my ever growing collection, as well as a load of large conatiners!

Thank you all for the advice. So... After my post last night, I placed an order with North Hills Nursery. I ordered the 18 plant collection, Fame Montrose, and Heleviticum (sp?). I am soooo excited! Now I need to start looking for containers.

Congratulations on your purchase! I'm excited to see your order and your containers too!

I can't wait to see pics of your new haul

Love to see new plants. to the forum and the plant collecting.

Moxie. So glad you found your way to us.
We are here to encourage/help you in any way we can.

Now Kate, don't go scaring her off. You know you love all your newly acquired semps.


1. In hot, high humidity I would water sparingly and water in the evening, don't water the leaves. This will allow for some evaporation of the surface area before the sun comes up and becomes more intense.
Love Bev's statement about being able to move the pots around to find just the perfect environment for you new plants.

2. Was addressed by Bev and Chris. Great answers.

3. Different varieties growing in the same pot will always produce clones of themselves, via their offsets. No worry about them turning into a different plant.

I am so excited to see photos of your new plants and what you do with them.

This is my Mahogany. I am so proud of it.

Wow, drooling over that one Moxie. Love it.

Hi Moxie!! So glad you found us here! haha~ I have been so "inspired" by all the lovely photos of semps! Can't explain why but I love theses little guys! Great that you ordered plants!! Another thing I wondered is if you've grown any echeveria? They are probably better suited (in general) to your zone...not that you have to have one or the other, I'm just wondering, and then if you haven't, you may want to check those out too! Many form rosettes like sempervivums do! Again welcome to ATP!
Cheers

Your Mahogany is beautiful Moxie!

valleylynn said: :

Now Kate, don't go scaring her off. You know you love all your newly acquired semps.

I certainly do!

Moxy, that is one magnificant semp, and a great photo of it too

I don't think its in the database yet either...so Moxie your lovely photo could be "the one" that people see when they search for this semp in the future!!

gg5 said:Hi Moxie!! Another thing I wondered is if you've grown any echeveria? They are probably better suited (in general) to your zone...not that you have to have one or the other, I'm just wondering, and then if you haven't, you may want to check those out too! Many form rosettes like sempervivums do!

with Greg. Echeverias are cool...they are like Big Chubby Semps !!

I am new here and I think that I have caught something. I believe it is a Semp Addiction. I have wintered over about 15 cultivars of semps and Jovi's. No one told me this thing was catching.

Bob, to the forums that will help support your semp addiction...
and here's a pic of my semp bed to show how addicted I am...