Dear Dr,
I have a large S.'Oddity' and I am wondering when is the best time to remove the chicks? They are tightly under the hen (2 rows) and not on long stolons. What is the best way to remove them and when is the best time?
Thank you!
Linda

This pic is not as focused as I would like, but you can see the size and how the offsets are on it.

My goodness, that is tightly packed Linda. Will be interesting to see what he recommends.

Oddity is one of the ones that is a bit delicate here. I would suggest letting the offsets size up a bit before moving them. I have problems with my Oddity's rotting from too much water or drying out from too much sun. Fortunately I found just the right spot that never gets sun and gets limited water and they do well there.

As a suggestion, why not carefully remove the biggest one by cutting its stolon and transplanting it. Don't dig or disturb the rest of the plants with the wet seasons upon us. See how well that one does for you while the others are getting bigger. I've not noticed any problems with Oddity overcrowding itself - they seem to play fairly well with their siblings.

Just my opinion on this one. I try to leave mine alone as much as possible, due to some earlier failures with it.

I think you have mentioned before that Oddity was delicate for you. Mine has been thriving and growing. I am surprised that with all the rain we have had that I haven't had problems with it. I have been concerned about all of my semps with all the wetness. Oddity has two rows of chicks under the mother, very tightly packed. I will leave it alone for now, but should the chicks be removed before hot weather gets here? I'll do like you said and remove the largest one and see how it does.

I just removed some of mine today Linda. Just the ones that had rooted already. They to were packed up under momma. I can't believe how deep the roots went. I did like twit said and gently removed them without disturbing the central rosette. I also left the ones that were not rooted yet, after removing the larger ones it let the others make contact with the soil. I was able to do about half of them.
3/22/2011

• Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Oddity')
• Uploaded by valleylynn

Mine aren't outside the hen like yours....she's setting on her chicks. Yours is very pretty with the chicks out where they can be seen.

They are nice that way, but I want them to produce all the offsets they can this spring. That's why I removed the ones that are already rooted.

I want mine to produce more too...lol. That's why I wanted to know when it would be best to remove them. The ones you removed, where they on the hen last fall? Mine has a row that was on it last fall and another row that grew during the winter.

Yes they are from last fall. I think your growing season is ahead of mine. Do like twit said. The ones on the soil should have already rooted, it is easy to check. Stand on your head while lifting the edge of the offset. See any roots?

my keyboard just got all wet from drooling. i have killed two oddities.

Lynn, i love ready your posts in the morning. i always need a good laugh I will carry the pic of linda on her head looking at chicks all day and everyone will wonder why Im laughing

Good morning all. I think we are suppose to have some sunshine today, at least for the first half of the day. Hope to get my semp bed finished today.
I get the strangest pictures in my head at times. That was one of them.
I have another Oddity with offsets, but it is in a wooden tool box on my covered deck where it doesn't get very much sun. Look at how different they look in color and leave form. These two plants came from the same original rosette I got years ago from Squaw Mountain. Just shows you how growing conditions can change a semp.



3/28/2011--3/22/2011

• Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Oddity')
• Uploaded by valleylynn

I'll have to post a pic of my 2 'Red Rubins'. They're setting next to each other, but in different pots. I'm assuming it is the soil mixture that has them looking different. I can feel my head hurting from looking at all the 'Oddity' chicks...whew...can't do that for too long.

There goes those pictures in my head again.

Here's a pic of 'Oddity' today. I haven't removed any chicks, but it's a better pic than the first one I posted.

"Oddity Chicks" - Lynn and Linda, are you referring to those ladies you see dressed weird on street corners downtown? (No, I don't mean the ones with the shopping carts.)

Now you've got pics going in my poor head.

Thanks for all the wonderful support!!!!!!! You are all beautiful people.

Linda, that is a much better photo. I can see each individual offset in this photo. It should be easy to gentle reach your fingers behind the offset making room for a sharp thin knife to reach the stolons. I can easily see one of the stolons in the photo. Start with that one. I bet all of those are rooted as they look to be laying on the soil. Here is a photo of the one that is going to Terri this week.
You will know right away when you start to lift up on it if it is rooted yet. Don't cut the stolon until you know it has roots. Some of mine couldn't reach the soil so hadn't rooted yet. I left them attached until the make roots.

Twit, it's twit. Did you finish your testing?
I cross posted with you.
What street corner? Odd chicks?
That makes me think of when my daughter came to me asking for the definition of abroad. It was for her home work. I told her to get the dictionary, that way she would remember the definition, and it was her home work not mine. : )
She tried to reason with me on why I should help her with just this one word.
I said 'Okay, a broad. One of those ladies we sometimes see on front street that wear very short skirts and fishnet stocking, and they wave at the cars going by'.
She went off in a huff and said it would serve me right if she put that definition on her homework paper. I told her it was her homework, not mine.
She went and got the dictionary.

Good definition Lynn!

Twit, been thinking about you and wondering how you did too?

Those Oddities are beautiful! I had one once upon a time but lost it and just never got around to trying it again. Will have to do that one of these days.