Hello, all!

First off, let me just start out by saying what an amazing Sempervivum and Jovibarba community this is! I stumbled upon this forum while researching Sempervivums on the web.. I even recongnize a few individuals from some of the Facebook groups that i'm in. I've been lurking this forum for about a week now and thought it was about time I introduced myself.

My name is Melissa and i'm from Chicago. I'm 26 years old and within the last year or so I have become addicted to Sempervivum and Jovibarba! I've always had a passion for plants/gardening but there's something about Semps that really strike my interest. This year I plan on buliding up my collection and learning everything I can, including hybridizing, from all you wonderful people.

Here is what I have so far. I know that I have some of these planted way too close together, so they will all be getting new homes so they can grow more comfortably. I'm eager to get these guys planted in the ground but will have to wait until I move later on this year. I also realized that planting them all mixed together probably wasn't the best idea. Haha.



















Hope you all have a great day! I hope to become a more active memeber in your Semp community

- Melissa

Melissa! Great info about yourself and thanks for sharing photos of your collection.

Looks like a great start as I see you have a nice variety no matter how closely planted they are. I actually think semps love leaning on each other and when there' no other semp around, a rock will do. But I know what you mean about too close. If you want to keep ID straight, you've got to be able to keep them close to the right ID tag. Some people make it a point to plant very different ones near each other to be able to tell them apart when the plants start filling in.

Planting in those nursery pot holders are a great idea to keep rosettes separate. I also see you have a few bonsai pots planted. I love looking at these kinds of pots.

Well, nice to have you as a new member of this Semp group.

You have s great collection going on there. So glad you decided to post, so fun to have new people. Looks like you have some very healthy happy plants.

Melissa, so glad you found your way here to NGA.
We love meeting new people and watching their love of semps grow. Great photos showing how you are growing them.
Maybe you could come to the Sempervivum Hybridizing Clinic the end of April? The thread "Kevin Vaughn Hybridizing Clinic April 28 & 29, 2017" in Sempervivum forum
I know you would have a wonderful time meeting many other semp lovers learning about the process of hybridizing sempervivum.
Hope to see more photos of your semp collection and hear all about what you are doing with them.

I'm new too!
There is a thread called "introduction" that shows the start of my Semps and Jovis collection. I have several more I still have to put in their individual pots and then post pics of them. Is that a Jobibarba blaze in the one pot? One of my favorites!

Thanks Bev for the great advice!!

And thanks to everyone for the kind words and warm welcome! I'm getting antsy waiting for things to warm up around here. I have some Semps waiting to be potted but it's been pretty chilly this week.

Lynn, I would SO love to go to the clinic next month, but I doubt i'll be able to take the time off so soon. If this is an annual event then I should definitely be able to attend next year, or any other events later this year.. so keep me updated! I'm dying to get my hands on some European Cultivars! I watched a few videos on Youtube a few weeks ago of Kevin talking about hybridizing and I think that's what made Sempervivums even more intriguing to me. I'll definitely be experimenting a lot this spring/summer. Being at the clinic with you all would make me feel like i'm amongst celebrities! . I truly love these plants that much. I recently joined the Cactus and Succulent Society of Greater Chicago to learn more specifically about Sempervivum, and to help out with annual events. I'm counting down the days until my local nurseries re-open!

And yes, Planthoarder, that's a Jovi Blaze!! I ordered that one from Young's just a few weeks ago. I'm also a plant hoarder BTW! Glad i'm not the only newbie here! These plants are so addicting

Have a great weekend everyone!

- Melissa

Looks like another one got snagged, folks...

From what I've seen, semps seem to do that pretty easily! I'm just so happy growing mine. They are in pots now, up away from critters. I'm hoping to be able to figure out a safe way to put them in the ground soon.

This just warms my heart to see new and excited members falling in love with sempervivum.
I thought you newbies might like to read this fun article written by goldfinc4 (Chris).
https://garden.org/ideas/view/...

Welcome @SempChick90! So wonderful to have you here. I see you're not too far away from me - I live in Wisconsin. I can sure relate to being impatient for spring to arrive. Are you getting the same snowstorm we are today?

Great collection you've already got started! We're looking forward to watching it grow!

@goldfinch4 Yes! I believe we're up to 8 inches where I'm at right now and still snowing! These poor semps were just planted a few weeks ago and I've been afraid to leave them outside in this weather. They're starting to lose their color and shape :/. Praying for spring-like weather.

I can't believe all this snow everyone is getting..... I couldn't imagine getting 8 inches here in Oklahoma right now @SempChick90

Hello Melissa and ! Glad you are here, this is a wonderful forum. I wish I could find a group of people who loved opuntia as much as everyone here loves sempervivum and jovibarba. Then again, sempervivums and jovibarbas don't bite or fight back when you try to tend to them Your collection is pretty impressive! Love the beautiful pots that you have them in too.

Paul, I think there is one sempophile that is newly(?) interested in Opuntia and definitely into Agave. @tcstoehr

That would be our Tim.

valleylynn said: That would be our Tim.

Yes... our Tim is learning some hard lessons about Agaves.

Agave Ovatifolia in August... and then in January.


My new plan is potted Agaves that live in a greenhouse in the winter.

valleylynn said: That would be our Tim.

Yeah, we found him wandering around a fairground in Rickreall in 2015...

Sorry Tim. how disappointing.

Bev I think we were scaring Kevin. But we sure had fun hunting for Tim, didn't we.

Oh that looks really sad Tim! On the other hand it seems Opuntia does pretty well around here. A home up the street from me has a HUGE clump of it and I see it growing successfully all around my neighborhood.