Sempervivums

Hi. The Sempervivums are currently in a small plastic tray; I sowed them from seed in this same tray and hardened them off over the spring. Now they are outdoors in a sunny position, watered daily, and appear to be growing healthily. All the plants are plump, very green, and large. But they are becoming too big for thetray, and in any case the growing medium in there (a multi-purpose compost) could do with refreshing now.

What should I do with these Sempervivums? Thisis their first year if growth. Should I take them out and pot them individually, or transplant them to a larger tray, etc? Would division in the middle of the season be distrubing? Could I maybe lift the whole tray, compost, Sempevivums and all, and put it all, minus the tray, into a larger one?

Thanks.

 

Hi SimonZ.
I'm a wee bit lost here. You say you don't know what to do with your sempervivums.
What did you grow them for ?
Your plants sound healthy and doing well.
They are perfectly hardy and robust.
I would plant them out in the position you had in mind for them and let them get on with it. Forget about watering them. Mine have never been watered in their lives.

 

Hi. I just grew them because...I like them. But there is no soil to speak of where they can go - all Ihave is a small stretch of concrete where all the plants are grown in pots. Not how I would have it, but there we are.

So would you say that the Sempervivums can remain in this one tray all their lives? Or, if they are repotted, should this be individually or as a group?

 

I've never grown house leeks from seed, do you have just on kind?

They form large clumps from just one rosette, so you can plant the singularly.

They need minimum soil in order to grow in fact a too rich soil makes them grow out of character,

I grow some on an old asbestos shed roof.

 

I have heard of them growing in that situation many times, hence their common name of houseleeks, I suppose?

Do you suggest, then, that I go about transplanting them, or just keep them as they are?

The other Sempervivums I have were all either given to me already in attractive pots, or were purchased already growing. With much of what I sow and plant, Ihave little idea of what I want to do with them - some are sold, or given to friends, but many more just live out their lives in the same pots or trays.