For now I will be growing most of my sempervivum in containers as I said in my first post I am making hypertufa pots, I have seen lots of photos of beautiful full semp pots and that is what I am hoping to do. I received a nice box of plants from Bev there were some Noid so I decided to plant them all together in one pot. After I had it planted and looking nice I started to wonder if maybe i had mad a mistake by putting so many plants in one container. I think it looks great and hope when the plants get going it will fill in nicely. I guess my question is would you guys plant containers with many plants like this one in the photos and as they grew and filled in remove ones that got to big? Or do you just put in 1 or two plants and let them grow for a long time? How do you guys get those beautiful containers full of semps and how do you keep them looking nice and well groomed? I have also planted a strawberry pot somewhere I saw some great photos in here and loved the look of them all overflowing over the pot.

I hope this makes sense and thank you,

John

John, how beautiful and love your pot, too!

John, it's really personal preference on how you plant you pots. If you want quick results, like the full pots you're describing, by all means load them up right away! I actually do both. If I'm out of space in the ground to plant and just need a place to put them, I put fewer in a pot so I don't have to move them so quickly. But if I'm potting up extras just to make pretty containers then I'll put more in right away. The container you've pictured here will be filled in and beautiful in no time!

I very seldom water my hypertufa planters. Only in super warm weather. Otherwise I just let nature water them with rain. There's really not much grooming to be done with sempervivum if you top dress the containers like you did. That keeps weeds out and moisture in.

I planted a smallish strawberry pot (maybe 20" tall?) with semps a few weeks ago. I was waiting for it to fill in a bit before I took pictures.

Nice texture on the top edge of your pot. Did you do that with a wire brush?

John, I agree with Chris. That container will be filled in quickly, giving you the desired affect. It already is attractive. If at some time it becomes to crowded it is easy to remove some and start another container with them.
It will be fun to watch your container progress.

John, 99% of my Semps are grown in pots, although you and I are in different growing zones.

They are in full sun, but on my deck, which is semi shaded by the house part of the day.

The sun is very hot and bright here in NC. And it seems the sun is shining almost every day (unlike New England, where I am from).

I agree with Chris, your pots will be full and overflowing in a year or so, I bet...or you can plant close together to get that look you mentioned liking in your post.

I give mine liquid fertilizer every now and then, but once they get well established I stop that, as I would need to divide too often and get more Pots!

Semps are such easy, undemanding little plants, it's hard not to love them.

I look forward to seeing your progress with your beautiful pots!

Janice, what fertilizer brand do you use?

Jack's All Purpose 20-20-20.

Life is short... when doing my container gardening, I shoot for * Instant Gratification *

Cool great information I am looking forward to seeing how they grow I will keep taking photo's of the progress.

And yes Chris I did use a wire brush on the edge of the pot.

I have loads of terracotta pots dotted round the garden full of different semps ,sometimes I forget where I have put them and discover them again...

Nice start ,be really nice when the multiply...

I know what you mean Mick. I don't have mine in pots, but sometimes forget where in the bed a particular semp is.

valleylynn said:".... sometimes forget where in the bed a particular semp is.

Lynn, do you ever happen upon a group of semps and ask, "Who bought this?"

Nope, haven't done that yet. But you just never know.
I am always so excited when I finally find one that I haven't seen for awhile. Happens a lot since I moved most of them into new beds. I haven't finished updating my inventory of the new beds.
You'd think with the nice big name tags it wouldn't be a problem.

John,

They are right. I am new to semps ( last fall). Most of mine are in hyper tufa. Here is a NOID I planted in an old solar light ( removed the guts). First picture is this spring and second is now.

.

Just went back and took this picture.
Near our school garden an elderly lady offered me a trade of some semps (NOID) for daylilies. Here is how she grows them!

.
.


She was given the wheelbarrow because the bottom is rusted out. Chicken wire then filled it. Perfect for Semps!

Lisa, that was a great way to re-purpose that light. And what a huge difference a few months makes. Love it.

Beautiful and healthy colony in the wheelbarrow.

Great planting in the solar light - very creative! Don't think it's possible to put any more in that wheelbarrow!

Lilydaydreamer said:Just went back and took this picture.
Near our school garden an elderly lady offered me a trade of some semps (NOID) for daylilies. Here is how she grows them!

.
.


She was given the wheelbarrow because the bottom is rusted out. Chicken wire then filled it. Perfect for Semps!

WOW!, Lisa!!! How beautiful!!

I LOVE the barrow and the light too. What great ideas!