Ok so i just got my new order of semps from Young's so many nice plants I will list and take photos soon.

So I am pretty new to semps have grown tons of other plants and have a pretty good feel for things but I have to say I have had a few of my new purchases rot mostly things I have transplanted. I am kind of used to watering in when I transplant nothing crazy but I like to settle the soil around the plant I am not sure this is the best idea with these plants. So before I plant up this new group of plants I just received I was wondering how you all pot up and care for your new semps and keep the rot to a minimum.

Any suggestions would be great,

Thank you.

I pot immediately in soil that drains very well. I do not water and usually let nature take its course. Any semp that arrives looking translucent anywhere on the plant or its leaves is given special treatment. Translucent parts are removed (usually that is an indicator of rot beginning with semps) and the plant dried for several days, then planted in dry medium. Gentle misting follows after a few days and the plants are kept on the dry side for a couple of weeks to recover.

You can actually plant semps in pure gravel or chicken grit (I just did this myself and have trialed this several times over the past few years. They do quite well that way here. It's not the best treatment for the smaller ones, however, as they can dry out too much during the hot season.

You don't see much discussion about it, but I believe semps act as dew collectors and will water themselves that way to some extent. One does not want to encourage development of large, thick roots. That is the precursor to flowering and rosette death.

I do not pot immediately but set up a flat with soil and lay the semps on top of or set slightly into the soiI. I do not water but just do gentle misting for a few days and then gradually water the soil.
I set out the plants progressively in shade and and only when they look kind of settled do I put them in partial sun. I don't make the assumption that the plants received were already acclimated in full sun. I try to pay special attention to what the plants looked like when I first receive them and then compare to what they look like after being with me to gauge whether they may need more shade or are drying up or whatever adjustments.

Thank you for your thoughts I guess I was just a bit surprised that a few of the plants I have repotted in the last few weeks have looked great then just went clear and started rotting funny mostly the plants that had been potted from the nursery. All the plants I got from Bev seem to be doing great I have not lost one and the rosettes are starting to open. Looks like I just need to not water much at all and keep my eyes open.

The nursery grown one are usually a bit soft, which is not bad, but they do need to be acclimated, just like most nursery grown plants of other types.
And over watering is really tough on the semps that are in a transition.

When in doubt, dry them out!

To acclimate to my environment, I put all the semps (that I have gotten thru trading and/or thru the generosity of other ATPers) into nursery flats. I then leave them sitting on top or barely buried into the soil. I find that some semps arrive at my house with leaves twisted or bent under, roots gnarled, stolons really long, semp heads a little mushy, etc and so they don't look quite ready to throw out into the semp bed or potted up and put out into the elements. I wish I could have an acclimation semp bed which would be more convenient for maintenance. I have two nursery flats waiting for transfer to the semp bed.

Great tutorial on how to care for new semps Bev.

Wow Bev I really like that idea good way to let the plants settle a bit. Also I need to wait a few more weeks for some of my tufa pots to cure so this would be a nice way to wait for that too.

I will hop out to the nursery tomorrow and get some flats.

webesemps said: I do not pot immediately but set up a flat with soil and lay the semps on top of or set slightly into the soiI. I do not water but just do gentle misting for a few days and then gradually water the soil.
I set out the plants progressively in shade and and only when they look kind of settled do I put them in partial sun. I don't make the assumption that the plants received were already acclimated in full sun. I try to pay special attention to what the plants looked like when I first receive them and then compare to what they look like after being with me to gauge whether they may need more shade or are drying up or whatever adjustments.

Bev, when you set up your flat, is the soil moistened or dry?
Thanks!
Deb

Deb, it is dry. I moisten on top with the spray bottle and just started spraying onto the soil. Tomorrow I think I will start with a lite watering into the soil and hope nothing rots. There were some semps that rotted when I tried watering the soil earlier.

John, I plant right out in the bed,or pot - unless its really wet out or they're tiny and no roots. I do take off any wilting, dry or suspect leaves then plant - I don't water in either, but Seattle has a lot of moisture in the air, so I think they get it from that
Cheers

Oh man I guess I was off by a day did not see your post Bev till just now when I came here to post all my potting up looks like it might have been a better idea to wait to sprinkle the pots. I had gone to young's watched a video and they had said to water them in after planting so I just waved the water wand across the plants but now am worried I may have messed up. Oh well If they do go down hill I will have learned a lot. I will keep my fingers crossed as I had watered in the bare root plants I had gotten from Bev I have not watered them again and so far they are all doing great.

So I guess I will show you the fresh planted pic's


s.Gamalea, s.Utopian, s. Tomenosum arachnoideum


s.Treebeard


s.Icicle


s. Jungle Fires


s. Emberley Pink


s. Oh My


Jovibarba hirta (from Belansky Tatra)





I also potted up some more of my little blown glass pots. This time with some semps. I took the photo's on my hand so you could get more a sense of size.

Oh man I think I am loosing my mind I start a thread that asks all you guys if I should water the plant in and you all say no and so then I go and water them in . I feel like a complete idiot I decided to set up a fan on them for the evening at least that will help dry out the leaves.

Thank you all for your help I will do better a listening to your advice and also keep you posted on what happens with these plants.

It is difficult to go against all we have learned about planting new young plants of other types. Most of the time it is very important to water in a new transplant.
Just not in the case of semps.
You are doing a good job of learning. We've all been there.

I just love your tiny pots. They are so sweet with the tiny semps in them.

Everybody has a different way of doing things that works for them.

I always always always water in my newly planted semps.
If they are not transplants from somewhere else in my yard, but are new from the nursery, mail order, or trades then I keep them potted and in the bright shade of my back porch where they won't get direct sun for several weeks.

If they are transplants from else where in my yard so they are acclimated and have a good root system, then they get planted and watered in like any other plant.

This works well for me so far.

John they'll be fine, it would be different if you lived somewhere colder, but given your weather, I'm thinking its hot enough that they probably liked the drink!
I love your little pots, do you sell them online? Please give a link if you do!! How you've planted them is really cute also!