Most of my containers did pretty good surviving the winter. I just push them up against the house in the fall and they've got to fight it out with the elements themselves!

Unfortunately I don't have ID's for any of these. I like the olive color of this one.

These both appear to be very fuzzy in the spring.

I like the colors in this one. Lost a few semps in this pot over the winter, hope it fills in again soon.

A nice bright red. This one is Georgette.

Chris those are wonderful. I really can't pick a favorite, I love them all. : )
Could you crop out a close up of Georgette and put her in the database?
I spent the day yesterday potting up semps from my raised bed. The hardware wire in the bottom must have rusted through. A gopher found his way into the bed and had covered up one corner of plants with his mound. I was fortunate they were okay after uncovering them. I only got 1/4 of the bed done before I had to quit. Waiting for the sun to come up so I can go start back to potting. I have 3 trays filled with pots. I will have to go get more pots. There are hundreds of plants out there. What was the name of the movie with Bill Murray & Chevy Chase and a golf course? Oh, Cady Shack, that's how I feel right now. Good thing I don't have access to dynamite. Okay, so we can find humor in many things.
Sad thing is I don't want to hurt the gopher, silly isn't it? Maybe the cat will catch him and I need not even know.

Sounds like the vole problems I had this winter. They destroyed 5 of my clematis to the point I can't tell there was ever a plant there, they made a nest in my Russian sage, dug bulbs up from my gardens and carried them all to their nest and ate them. Tell ya what - I wouldn't have any problem killing them!!

Yup, I'll post Georgette to the database.

Have fun outside today!!

Thanks Chris. Out to pot up some more. I can't believe how many are making chicks. An observation I made yesterday, the small fuzzy types start earlier than the bigger smooth leaved one on making chicks. Also appears the fuzzy ones are very prolific. Will have to wait to see if the smooth leaved ones are as prolific. I do know that some cultivars produce very well and some don't. Another thing for us to observe and keep a record of in the database. If all of you would check out the two new fields and see if that will work well, or if I need to change it to something else to show a record of productivity. What do you all think?

I like the new fields!

If you think of anything else that would be helpful in the database, let me know.

Will do!

On my way out to do more potting up to save from the dreaded gopher.

Has anyone tried moveing there hypertufa pots and strofoam thoughs with sempervivum in them into an unheated garage for the winter months? Should they be covered in the garage? Any extra moisture during that time? They are all newly planted sempervivum. Would it make a huge difference if it were there first or second year in the container? I'm in Minnesota in zone 4.
Would outside in proteced area be best or wintering them in the garage. Has anyone tried this? I want to see a good outcome with them all (or most) living come spring time.

Now that's what I'm talking about Chris. I would like to get my head planters replanted with hardy succulents just like yours. No more bringing in and hauling to the basement.

Connie, I did take several of mine into an unheated garage last winter and I'm also in zone 4. I did not cover them. I did give them a small amount of water twice over the winter. I made sure the water was really cold though. They received some indirect light during that time. I only took them in because they were varieties that I knew didn't do well with a lot of moisture in the spring. Otherwise I just put my containers up against the house and they're on their own. I didn't lose any that I brought in the garage, however, they did curl up into tight balls. But when I brought them out in the spring they bounced right back and look fantastic.

I agree Susan, it's way too much work to haul everything in for the winter.

Thank you Chris for great advise for all living in the colder zones. Weather are pretty moderate here in the PNW. Even with that there are some semps that will benefit from having shelter from the months of rain. Most of mine seem to handle it without any extra care here in my zone 8.
Which ones seem to need the extra protection in your zone 4 Chris?

All the calcareums are very touchy here, especially S. 'Pink Pearl' and S. 'Sir William Lawrence'. Also, S. 'Tederheid', which isn't a calcareum, doesn't seem to like the wet springs.

Chris can you go to the database and enter that info for those semps?
I need to add info for Fat Jack and Gay Jester. Both had a difficult time this year in our really wet winter and spring. Both did survive and are just now starting to look better. Rot was a big problem. Lilac Time was another one. None died though.

Done!