I found these on the mark down rack at "L" the other day. Thought they'd make a great addition to my succulent garden. I've never grown them before. Shall I keep them in this container? Or would they be better off in the ground? If so... do you think they will survive the winter (zone 9a)? Do they need any special care? Hens & Chicks ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden )
I saw those there too, almost got one but already had a cart filled and a long list of things yet to find so I figured it would be best to wait until next weekend. They will do well in containers or in the ground. You could take some of the 'chicks' out and plant them around one of your rocks in the rock garden. I read somewhere they are very frost resistant and can handle temps down to -5F so your zone should be fine. You could throw some mulching fabric over them if the weather really turns cold next winter.
First time I put some in the ground they lasted less than a week before I walked out back one morning to see a couple of squirrels tugging them out of the ground and running off with them.
Uh ohhh... we have lots of squirrels. Maybe I should only plant a little bit at first to see if they'll steal them?
I'm zone 7b and they have survived well this last winter in pots and hanging (since we are so wet I did have an opened clear plastic cover). We even got down to 9F and did fine except for a few that even covered got too much wet. I too have trouble with squirrels and crows who seem to like some varieties more than others . I even caught my one dog trying to eat and pull some out of a planter yesterday. I love all the different varieties. That is sure a nice pot of them you got. If you take some starts now you will have plenty to share and the container will probably still be totally covered by fall. At least that was my experience last summer.
Hi Cheryl, i have some growing at the base of a rose bush,.. in a container,..they survived over the winter with frost and snow down to minus 19C,..granted i did lose a few as we don't usually get such low temperatures here. ( photo / image / picture from Philip Nulty's Garden )
We had them in our garden back in MA. They survive snow, ice, mud and summer heat. They always came back strong by themselves. We lived there 20 years and they came back every year.
They grow here, also. My mother in law grows them in the driest spot known to man, right next to the foundation of her house with an overhang, they never get watered and they come back every year. We are zone 5 here. I have never seen any damage to them, either and there are lots of squirrels in the woods behind the house. Maybe your squirrels are thirsty. If they keep bothering them sprinkle hot(like cayenne) pepper on and around them.
I wish I could get those things to grow. When I first moved here back in the late 80s, there was a bunch of them in a rock garden. The rock garden had been let go so much, I dug it up and tried to move the plants I wanted. The hens and chicks died, as did a pretty little pink flower with silvery fuzzy leaves. I have no idea what kind it was, but it has never been back. I heard they like full sun, and I put them in the shade on the north side of my house. I have a lot of other sedums that do fine though.
