Taking care of your succulents | GET GROWING!
Channel: WTOL11
Date: 12/09/2020

I can remember rubbing my fingers over the nobby shapes of these crazy plants in my grandmother’s garden. She had them tucked in every corner in almost every part of her garden and even around her house. 
JUICY PLANTS
HEN & CHICKS - Hen and Chicks are one of the most common, also known as Sempervivum Tectorum in Latin, and it means always living. There are many other names for it like St. Patrick’s Cabbage or even Houseleeks. These succulents are related to sedum, jade, agave, and aloe which have thick leaves and can survive long periods without water or food.
The large central plant looks almost like a green rose with thick green petals. They come in many different colors. Those petals are actually the succulent leaves that keep the plant alive. This is the mother plant also thought of as the Hen. You will usually find a thick woody stem protruding from under the Hen and it branches out to start smaller plantlets we think of as her chicks.
If it is given a rich environment to thrive, it will send up a flowering shoot each summer with purple-red flowers. These hardy garden favorites have been handed down from generation to generation and neighbor to neighbor. They are very easy to grow and will root easily in almost any soil condition. You can even start one just by planting a single leaf. They were first found in the Alps and naturalized in Britain. Since they are native to the mountains, they will grow well with shallow soil beds and little rain. It has also been planted on rooftops to ward off lightning and has survived in those green roof systems for years.


SEDUM -Sedum is another one of my favorites. It is also called Stonecrop. Some grow low like a ground cover and others can stand taller like a low shrub. There are many different colors and they are really easy to grow. If they are getting overgrown, just pull them out and toss them on another part of your garden and they will take root.
ICE PLANT - You got to toss in some “Ice Plant.” It is also called delosperma. Its petals look like short green fingers and it will sprout tiny flowers in bright, beautiful colors. It is low growing and will spread, making it great for rock gardens or gravel-covered areas. 
JUNIPER’S BEARD - There’s another succulent with that rosette shape and it is called Juniper’s Beard. Jovibarba Heuffelii is commonly mistaken as Hens and Chicks. They come in lots of fun colors and will send off lots of shoots that you can easily replant. 
ROSULARIA - Rosularia is another one that grows in the rosette shape, but most stay in small nuggets in many colors, and those nuggets can grow into a huge mound, or you can easily pluck them off and share them with a friend. 
DUNCE CAP - Orostachys starts out in the rosette shape, then will grow tall in the middle. That’s where its other name comes in. Some call them Dunce-Caps because of their long skinny hat shape. 
PLANT CARE
Succulents love light, and a bright southern window works well for many. When moving plants indoors after a summer vacation outside, take care to avoid extreme temperature changes between indoors and out. Acclimate the plant over several days to its new environment. 
Be careful when replanting succulents because they are very sensitive during planting. The roots can break easily, and a gentle teasing is fine to spread the roots out from the plant. Most succulents should be near the surface. 
Since their roots stay close to the top, pick a shallow pot. Their roots don’t need a whole lot of water or fertilizer, so don’t give them too much. Once a month should be enough for most succulents. Look for soil that will drain quickly that contains sand, perlite and some light organic material. 
You can add to your succulent collection easily in the spring by taking a cutting. This is when the plant is coming out of dormancy and will be in an actively growing state. Just take a small cutting off the end. I like to dip the ends in the ‘root tone’. It is a powder that helps activate the growth on the top of the cutting and can be found at your favorite garden center.
Don’t overwater your new cuttings. They will start to perk up in a few weeks once the roots start to form.
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