On my way to sempaholicism this year and have a few questions (reading thru as many threads here as I can as quickly as I can) on the care of Hens and Chicks.
Background:
My growing conditions are far from 'alpine' so all of my new acquisitions are in moveable pots and containers so I can do my best to optimize sun/shade wet/dry. I've made buckets and buckets of Tapla's Gritty Mix so the well draining soil necessity is covered for all of them.
So far this spring has been cool and wet (50-70) with a day or two of intense heat and sun(80-90) then rinse repeat. I have kept them in a make shift 'greenhouse' for the most part because of rain, but there is not much sun in that area. This week I moved them out to my sunniest spot where they will get about 5 hours of morning sun. Tomorrow summer weather arrives with temps in the nineties and plenty of sun and humidity.
Questions:
1) What is it that first alerts you to Semp in trouble? What should I be looking for? Pots are mulched with a layer of chick grit.
2) What is your watering rule of thumb? Surface dry? Inch down? Entire pot? I am assuming that semps can survive too dry better than too wet? If the crown is dry but the roots are wet?
3) The plants I bought in 4x6 inch pots had roots that were 6 inches plus long. Should they be spread out? Can I trim them off when repotting with out harm to plant?
4) Can someone describe 'planting high'? I have attempted to simulate a rock crevice for a few where the stalk was 2" before any roots and I didnt have a pot deep enough so I piled up driveway stones around the stalk to raise the plant up.
5) Is now the time when most chicks are formed? When do you season or size wise harvest chicks to propagate that variety? Generally, how quickly will chicks grow if harvested now?
Should I plant them in flats, 2" or 4" pots? (I'd say most of the Hens were 4 inches when I got them, chicks an inch or more.
6) Semp "Black" has formed many chicks but they are all tightly clustered around the mother stalk. Is this normal for "Black"?
Thanks in advance to all you good people!
Judy
