Hi Gabe,
I would repot now since the container is too big and too deep, moving it to a right sized container, shallow better than deep, just put it in part shade, but not indoors, it still thrives better being outdoors. Actually I mist around the plant, not on the plant itself. I just do it to help cool down around it, and have learned to shade them now during summer. Or even if I happen to drench the plant, with our ongoing heat here, it dries out quite fast outdoors. But summer is such, blanket heat everywhere, so just be mindful of watering, once a week or so, allowing the water to drain out of the drain holes, and leave it alone in part sun-part shade. There are several types of semps, and some are more tolerant of heat, some are not, just have to see which ones they are that will work in your area. But in general , they are alpine succulents that love cool sunny days. Adjust your watering when you notice your temps are changing as seasons change, as it gets cooler, longer interval.

Just continue removing old dried out leaves, and you have seen the pictures of my semps, you need to make your media as gritty looking like that. Those roots need to dry out and breathe after watering. That is why we keep advising you to put more pumice/ rocks/ perlite in your soil mix.

tarev said:Hi Gabe,
I would repot now since the container is too big and too deep, moving it to a right sized container, shallow better than deep, just put it in part shade, but not indoors, it still thrives better being outdoors.

I have just checked the photos of your houseleeks...they are precious.

I was wondering....shall I just get a food container, punch a few holes in it and use that? I havent seen shallow containers made of clay here. So.....nothing fancy will be used here. :)

How tall should it be? Like 3-4 inches?

That size should be good.

tarev said:That size should be good.

Hey Tarev,

Followed your instructions. Got a food container...a shallow one and punched five 3 mm holes in the bottom. That should drain the excess water away. Here is a photo:




At this stage all the volcanic rocks from the big pot ended up in the small container (which should be ideal for drainage).

While I was replanting it I have made a discovery that you can see in the image too. Small, tiny white spots. At least I thought they were spots....but they were moving and I could grab them and squish them. I have no clue what they are but there are quite a few of them (mainly in the center) and they seem to be sucking life out of my plant (I might be wrong...maybe it is totally harmless ). Any ideas how to save it?

That certainly looks better Gabe! Not sure which of the pesky things that is, but read through this ATP article about handling pests that attack the semps: The thread "Aphids and mealy bugs" in Growing Pains

In the meantime, isolate that plant away from your other plants. Sometimes I start first with a solution of water and alcohol and spray it on the plant while it is in shade, then observe if the condition of the plant improves. I try to avoid the heavier stuff initially, oftentimes, it may also affect beneficial insects once it is applied.

If you can get a Q-Tip, dip it in alcohol, then lightly touch the white spots (most likely mealybugs), then that touch will take care of them. Try not to get any extra alcohol on the plant because it can burn.
I doubt the mealies will kill it, but they can sure weaken a plant. As Tarev said, move it away from any other plants because the mealiebugs can move on to another plant.
I have plants like this that came from my grandmother years ago, so I know what it's like to save a family plant. good luck!

CindiKS said:If you can get a Q-Tip, dip it in alcohol, then lightly touch the white spots (most likely mealybugs), then that touch will take care of them. Try not to get any extra alcohol on the plant because it can burn.
I doubt the mealies will kill it, but they can sure weaken a plant. As Tarev said, move it away from any other plants because the mealiebugs can move on to another plant.
I have plants like this that came from my grandmother years ago, so I know what it's like to save a family plant. good luck!

Hey CindiKS,

They were mainly in the center. Got a big bottle of weird liquid from a local plant store. The lady said that the bugs were eating it alive plus I should have watered it a bit more in this heat. Now my next challenge is to find a place that is slightly protected from the sun. Now it is actually in total shade.

tarev said: But in general , they are alpine succulents that love cool sunny days. Adjust your watering when you notice your temps are changing as seasons change, as it gets cooler, longer interval.

Hey Tarev,

How important is it to keep houseleeks in direct sunshine (even in heatwaves like the one we have across Europe)?

I have placed where no direct sunshine gets on it.

Hola Gabe!

When we talk about sunshine and light, we have to also talk about water and watering so here goes:

Sunshine helps bring out their colors better, and it is still a plant that needs sun to do its food, though the stomates are closed during daytime to conserve water, that is why it is so drought tolerant. At night the stomates are open so more biochemical reactions happen, that is why growing them outdoors is best for these plants.

During heat wave days, it helps to put them in part shade, too much direct sun really dries them way too much and colors will suffer just like any color that gets sun bleached when left in too much sun. So getting them part shade area is essential.

Morning sun is okay it is still cool in the mornings, it is the afternoon sun that is really so intense so see where the orientation of the sun is and put your plant maybe under the shade of another taller plant or shade of a furniture or bigger rock.

My plants get only part sun-part shade too, actually like more shade since my garden is shaded by our house in the morning, sun overhead finally gives them some direct sun at noon time to 2pm, and gets dappled light in the afternoon when the sun is to the west and city trees cast shadows on my garden. But heat is blanket very dry heat, so have to water them a bit more early in the morning since evaporation is very fast, aiming the water direct to the soil so the roots can be kept cool and drink ahead before the heat envelopes the plant. It is just too dry here. Then allow to drain and dry out before watering again.

In my area, my semps look better in late Fall to mid Spring. After that it is survival of the fittest during summer time because of our intense heat.

tarev said:ter direct to the soil so the roots can be kept cool and drink ahead before the heat envelopes the plant. It is just too dry here. Then allow to drain and dry out before watering again.

In my area, my semps look better in late Fall to mid Spring. After that it is survival of the fittest during summer time because of our intense heat.

Hey Tarev,

Perfect and understood.

Then you water it like every 1.5-2 weeks in this heat and you spray it almost everyday in the morning with water to cool the soil?
Is that the case?

P.S. Our house is situated in a weird way. The first lights available for plants appear at 12:00 on the balcony....well...just checked it again. In 1.5 hrs it is in the shade again. Is that going to be enough?

And thanks so much for helping with this plant. I just hope I can learn how to keep it alive and take care of it properly.

In very hot days, at least once a week I have to deep water them, and mist during early morning. Are you able to measure the humidity in your area? I have sensors that tells me just how dry it is. There are days that humidity goes down to 20% or less, and that is just intensely dry. Plus the existing high heat, it just is a challenging time for semps and any plant for that matter. I think only my cacti and cycads are enjoying these onerous conditions. When seasons transition and temps go cooler, then I can extend watering intervals. Come winter time where it is our natural rainy season, I just let Mother Nature do the watering for me.

Oh, talk about weird garden situations, I get slivers of direct sun, but I find as long as there is natural light around, that is okay. It does not really need long 8 hours of direct sun, it will burn and dry out too much especially in extreme heat conditions that we both have. Just really good bright light, and good airflow and occasional misting during days where forecast of extreme heat will help.
So pretty much when it is summer, position it in a shady side, then just move it to a sunnier side when temps go cooler.

I have a link here that will further help you understand about semps: http://www.youngs-garden.com/s...

Glad to help Gabe! Hope your plant goes on well! Sometimes we just have to adjust a bit every season and see what will work best in our growing areas.

tarev said:In very hot days, at least once a week I have to deep water them, and mist during early morning. Are you able to measure the humidity in your area? I have sensors that tells me just how dry it is. There are days that humidity goes down to 20% or less, and that is just intensely dry. Plus the existing high heat, it just is a challenging time for semps and any plant for that matter. I think only my cacti and cycads are enjoying these onerous conditions. When seasons transition and temps go cooler, then I can extend watering intervals. Come winter time where it is our natural rainy season, I just let Mother Nature do the watering for me.

Oh, talk about weird garden situations, I get slivers of direct sun, but I find as long as there is natural light around, that is okay. It does not really need long 8 hours of direct sun, it will burn and dry out too much especially in extreme heat conditions that we both have. Just really good bright light, and good airflow and occasional misting during days where forecast of extreme heat will help.
So pretty much when it is summer, position it in a shady side, then just move it to a sunnier side when temps go cooler.

I have a link here that will further help you understand about semps: http://www.youngs-garden.com/s...

Glad to help Gabe! Hope your plant goes on well! Sometimes we just have to adjust a bit every season and see what will work best in our growing areas.

The plant is coming back to life. I have just placed it back to a spot where it gets sunshine during many hours a day. I still have to spray it twice next week with the pesticide to finish the treatment, but it looks so much better.

There is one more thing I'd like to know: the leaves that are drying off at the bottom....... do I need to wait till they are completely dried before ripping them off or the moment they show signs of withering, I should rip them off?

Good to know your plant is recovering well! I just wait for the leaves to go all the way dried out before I remove it.

tarev said:Good to know your plant is recovering well! I just wait for the leaves to go all the way dried out before I remove it.

Hey Tarev,

How are you?

Unfortunarely, I am back to the same topic: the plant seems to be okay, but the lower leaves are still turning yellow. I havent plucked them out...since I am still waiting for them to dry totally. I have stopped watering the plant (that means the weekly watering...since I am trying not to overwater it. Although the last week or so has been a bit rainy).

Anyways.....here is a video of it: https://drive.google.com/file/...

I dont what is wrong with it. The pesticide killed the white thingies that I had on it and the soil seems to be perfect (what you see in the video on the leaves is some of the dead things left behind)....I'll try to spray that off, but for now it is fine like that. I has been rainy a bit in the last few days...wondering if I should remove it from the balcony and deprive it from water totally.

Hi Gabe,

I looked at your video, to me it just looks like natural leaf aging. Bottom leaves are the first to go. That will be part of your maintenance with this plant, removing the dead outer leaves. How is the temperature in your area right now? Is it still too hot? or Is it slowly cooling down. Plants are in adjustment stage right now on my side, though we are still in some unusual warmer conditions.

Good for you the pesticides worked! I lost a container this summer sadly...oh well..

tarev said:Hi Gabe,

I looked at your video, to me it just looks like natural leaf aging. Bottom leaves are the first to go. That will be part of your maintenance with this plant, removing the dead outer leaves. How is the temperature in your area right now? Is it still too hot? or Is it slowly cooling down. Plants are in adjustment stage right now on my side, though we are still in some unusual warmer conditions.

Good for you the pesticides worked! I lost a container this summer sadly...oh well..

Hey Tarev,

The temperature has dropped. It is the rainy season now. Okay....I'll keep removing the leaves as they dry off, but it just looks scary how many of them wither. I guess I dont have to water it....it get enough humidity from the air and the rain every now and then. Sorry to hear about your plant loss. I am struggling to save this one....although it is meant to be a simple flower to keep alive.

Hi Gabe, at least it is cooling down there now, it prefers the cool season. Just try to protect from too much rain, but still outdoors. Maybe position a bit nearer to your house so it does not get too soaked if you get more rain than usual.

tarev said:Hi Gabe, at least it is cooling down there now, it prefers the cool season. Just try to protect from too much rain, but still outdoors. Maybe position a bit nearer to your house so it does not get too soaked if you get more rain than usual.

It is time to revive this post as there seems to be a chance that my houseleek might survive.

Well, not the actual main plant, but small offshoots have appeared.
My only concern is that the roots of the main plant dont seem to stick to the volcanic rock I am using. Shall I use a different soil/grit mixture for my houseleek?

Let me show you guys a photo of it:




Those little tentacle looking roots are drying off because they dont seem to be able to properly settle in the volcanic rocks I am using (there is not soil in it at all...it is just loose volcanic rocks).

What shall I do? Replant it in a 30% succulent soil and some other rocks? At this stage I dont want to replant it, since that might kill the offshoots. What do you guys think?