The best magazine
- Hen and chicks thrive at temperatures found inside most homes. In spring and summer, they prefer temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees F. They like a slightly cooler environment in fall and winter, with temperatures ranging from 65 to 75 degrees F. Provide bright light year-round and occasional periods of direct sunlight in summer. Increased sunlight brings out the color of the rosettes. Use a potting soil designed for cacti and succulents or add sand to a regular potting soil to improve the drainage.
- Water enough to keep the soil slightly moist. After watering, empty the saucer under the plant. The leaves shrivel when the plant isn’t getting enough water. If the plant needs watering more than once a week in summer it needs repotting. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings in winter. Hen and chicks need more fertilizer than most houseplants. Use a high-phosphorous fertilizer twice a week in spring and summer, then switch to a regular strength houseplant fertilizer in fall and winter.
- The easiest way to propagate hen and chicks is to remove the offsets, or chicks, and repot them in their own container. Small offsets transplant easier than large ones. Remove the offset with the stem at the base attached. Keep the potting soil lightly moist and wait until the new plant becomes established before fertilizing.
- Hen and chicks thrive in broad flat bowls where you can plant several varieties together. For contrast, add a bright orange tiger’s jaw (Faucaria tigrina) or a spiky-leaved haworthia. Both of these plants are similar in size to hen and chicks and have similar needs. Round out your dish garden with a sprinkling of gravel over the soil or a few strategically placed stones.
Requirements
Care
Propagation
Dish Gardens
Source: ...