Wow, thanks for the pic and hand reference, Lynn. I do think some growers probably fertilize to get the unnatural speed of growth of plants to market. I think the offsets look kind of open, too loose looking. Wonder if the size affects the tightness of resetting?

All of the offsets are rather tender, much more than any of mine that grow in a more natural environment. This plant has been transplanted into a container, after removing most of the soil from it's roots. The bottom half of the nursery pot had no roots in it. I'm putting the container out in full sun to see if that doesn't help the offset mature in a stronger way.

That is why I hate buying succulents in gallon containers. I feel like I am paying for the extra dirt on bottom half of the container and sometimes not even good dirt at that...
Tuff Love for them now, right Lynn?

Yep, tuff love is what should strengthen the babies. It was really difficult getting it into a different container, the offsets are so frail.

"frail" offsets...Hmm... those darn growers and their experiments!!

I think they will toughen up with a little time.

Wow, that is a huge one! Will be fun to see if the offsets are that large too.

Something tells me that they will not have this size once the fertilizer wears off.
I really got excited when I saw it, it made me think of Kevin's desire to create a new arach semp that is super large and very red.

Phew! I just read the whole thread - some great posts and lovely pics

Aren't the arachs interesting semps?

Just want to put in a word for growers...not that I am one, so speculation only, but I was thinking that maybe they're growing these in long raised bed inside greenhouses because that's where they have space, so they're light deprived (Lynn as you suggested - put it in sun and see what happens!)
Also they don't necessarily use "fertilizer" as much as growth hormones, which they have access to, which is probably more efficient and cheaper for them then "fertilizers". If this is the case, then there isn't anything in the soil that will need to "wear off" it was probably sprayed on them.
Also if this is the case, than we probably will begin to see larger semps, that aren't because of "genetics" as much as artificial enhancers.
Just a thought. I'll ask Kevin about this when we have our clinic, to see if he knows, or has thoughts about these practices.

Good idea Greg.