As it is winter I planted a few in the basement under lights for something to do.
They seem to be doing ok but 1 of the chicks has what looks like feelers growing out of the it the larger one does not.
Just wondering what the feelers are ?

Hi Ed.
It looks like they could be stolons, the stems that the new offsets grow on. Are they attached to the rosette?
I don't see any sign of tiny offsets at the ends of the them?

Lynn, it looks they are coming from the rosette.
I have many chicks outside and never pay close attention to them just try to keep them happy. These few I now have inside as more of experiment by having plants in the basement. I have been keeping a closer watch on as it too cold here to play outside.
I will keep a eye on them and see what happens.
Thanks

Being indoors can cause the stolons to be very long, etiolated. I am wondering if that is what is happening.
Keep us updated on what it does. You might see what happens if it is given more light.

Lynn I totally agree. more light and it would be happier outside in the cold under the snow..........or did we get the snow that belongs in N.J.

They are about 8" below a fluorescent shop light it measures to 497 FC or 5310 lux.
I do have many many outside but not much snow so far only had about 6" all winter, which is more then enough for me.

Am I the only one who thinks those are roots and not stolons?
To me they have every appearance of roots and none at all of stolons.
Why they're shooting the air though I have no idea.

@herrwood
Ed, how is it doing?

Lynn, I was looking at it this morning it looks the same as in the photo no change.
Ed

Thank you for the update Ed.

tcstoehr said:Am I the only one who thinks those are roots and not stolons?
To me they have every appearance of roots and none at all of stolons.
Why they're shooting the air though I have no idea.

I think they look like roots too!

I would exclude roots - the plant itself looks healthy, not etoliated at all. So no reason for it to grow roots from spots that are far too high in the plant for roots. Besides roots would immediately turn downwards and I've never seen a semp growing roots sideways or upwards - in fact I've never seen any semp root above the surface. Not even on the semps I keep indoors in winter because they grow in my cacti pots I keep in our heated living room close to the window, but without grow lights. They are etoliated in winter and recover in summer when I keep the cacti outdoors.
I'd say the feelers are stolons - I've seen stolons growing to about 6" long before developing any sign of an offset. That might be the case here.

Its been about 2 weeks since I 1st posted this question.
I took another photo today which is the 1st photo shown 2nd is the original.
The stolons look about the same the rosette maybe open a little more.

new photo


original photo

Ed this is a first for me to see stolons growing like that, without showing signs of offsets. It looks like it has grown more of them?

Lynn, Only thing I can think is that because they are in a basement under lights they are not as happy as they would be outside.

Time will tell. Especially once you can place it outdoors. This is very interesting.

came across a pic showing weird roots on a chick trying to get it sorted out about which way is up or down or sideways

of course I didn't know I was taking a picture of that, so the crop here isn't in the best of focus--
anyway, you can see roots coming out of some places that are rather high on the plant so it is possible even if not normal

That is normal. The new little roots are forming and working their way down to the soil. Soon you won't be able to see them.

So that brings up the question of what potting medium you are using for the rosette in your first post to this thread? If it is roots maybe they are trying to find something different from what is available to root into?

valleylynn said:
So that brings up the question of what potting medium you are using for the rosette in your first post to this thread? If it is roots maybe they are trying to find something different from what is available to root into?

The ones I have in the photos are in a cactus medium

What is your outdoor soil like?