Here the Wilco has the 50 pound bag. It's a nice size and color on the #2 grit. I have used some #1 grit in pots of seedlings of daffodils and around newly rowed out semp seedlings. I added the bigger grit later as the seedlings developed bigger size.

Kevin

I used the chick grit for my smaller seeds and quite a few of them are sprouting with no issue. Even small seeds like Lemon Balm are sprouting under a light layer of grit.

I am loving it because there's no "green stuff' on the top of my seedlings, which always makes me feel like I make them more vulnerable.

Kudos to the original poster on this thread - I am a chick/chicken grit convert :

@Chicklady = Sandie how are your seedlings doing?

I somehow kill all our sempervivum .

I'm going to try again and use the chicken grit as a mulch. I should head to the general sempervivum forums and see what I'm doing wrong.....

Jackie, your sun may be to intense to plant in full sun. Maybe dappled light, or morning sun and afternoon shade?
How are you growing yours?
Are you growing in clay soil?
Can you show us some photos?

Jackie, I think it is also your humidity, semps don't like that, and there isn't anything you can do about that...plant in shade like Lynn suggests - but bright shade not deep shade.
I personally would try different amounts of chicken grit and do your own trials, to see which does best. Maybe for your area your plants want a 50% mix of soil and chicken grit?
Anyway if you do try again good luck!

Jackie,

DEFINITELY grow them in some shade in GA and if you could cover them from too much moisture that would help.

I did grow them when I was in MS but high shade all the time and grown in very loose potting mix. The fire ants LOVED this mix so be sure to treat with Amdro liberally around the area where you have the pots. Mulch with 1/2" of chicken grit and put some packing peanuts at the bottom of the pots and mix grit and sand into your soil mix.

You will want to stay with smooth leaved cultivars. The velvet ones go to mush.

Kevin

Great advice Kevin. Thank you.

Looking forward to seeing your new semps Jackie.

valleylynn said:

@Chicklady = Sandie how are your seedlings doing?

Hi Lynn,

I pretty much left them alone all winter. We get some very cold temps so the dirt was frozen in the little pots. I still have a few feet of snow on my semp beds (GRRRR!) I am so ready for spring to get here! I have been out working with the seedlings today in my barn and they are looking really good. Some are still kind of dormant but about half of them are waking up nicely! It will be interesting to see how all of the ones in my outdoor beds fared this very snowy winter! I'm hoping by the end of next week the snow will be gone so I can check their progress!

I m happy as a clam to report that we only lost a couple in the end but they look great now! I repotted them in a 4" pot with the large grit at the bottom with a 1/3 peat, 1/3 perlite & 1/3 vermiculite blend and topped with more grit. I put them under the lights with my seedlings and they've pretty much come back to life.

No issues using the chick grit at all!

Before:

After (same plant--2 sides)


Thanks for everyone's help.

Wow, Jackie that is quite a comeback. Lovely healthy semp for all your loving work. Good job.

Sandie I can wait to see photos of seedlings. Still 3 feet of snow. They should all be all snuggled up under all of that. I don't remember, how old are your seedlings?

I don't know if mine qualify as a seedling....they were babies off of my hens that I transplanted. They were all new last year so some are a year old and some are about 6 months old. It is raining right now but we have 4-9 inches of snow predicted for over night!

Lynn, I have a bunch that I planted in containers that have been in my old milk barn all winter. They are starting to come back to life! Over half of them are coming back nicely...the others are taking their time but I think most of them will be OK. It's been fun watching their progress. I was concerned about them during the winter since the soil under them was frozen but they seem fine! Now if the ones under the snow will do just as good I will be super happy!

I look forward to seeing them Sandie.