By Teresa Odle 5-17-2020
Hens and chicks, or Sempervivum, is a hardy and unique succulent. By their nature, hens and chicks plants thrive with less water than most plants. The fleshy leaves that make up hens and chicks rosettes are designed to store water. So, this easy-care plant can grow with less water than most outdoor or indoor plants.
How To Tell If Hens & Chicks Need Water
One of the only ways people can kill succulents like hens and chicks is if they water too much. The top sign of overwatering is mushy or partially transparent leaves. Sempervivums can handle periods of drought, but only so much. Usually, when the plant needs water, you will notice the leaves look crispy, wrinkled, or bend more than usual.
How Often To Water Hens and Chicks
It is difficult to say how often to water sempervivum and how much water to give it without knowing other information, such as the type of soil in which it grows and its environment. On average, once a week is how often you should water hens and chicks.
Avoid watering hens and chicks when the soil is damp, especially after a rain. Hold off for a few days and check again. The plant won't wither in a few days. Outdoors, avoid placing irrigation drippers too close to hens and chicks. Adjust your system or emitter if your succulent is located near other plants that use more water.
Potted hens and chicks typically need watering more often than those in the ground. Terracotta containers in particular can dry out quickly.
Best Time To Water Hens and Chicks
In summer, it is better to water outdoor succulents like hens and chicks in the morning so the roots can soak up some of the moisture before peak heat sets in. Morning also is the best time when watering succulents in winter. The plants need some time to dry out before cool evenings set in. Overly wet and cool roots are subject to fungi and bacteria. Time of day matters less for indoor sempervivums unless the plant is receiving more heat and direct sun than it normally does or the inside of the home is cold in evenings.
How to Water Hens and Chicks
Step 1– Fill a watering container that has a small or focused spout with collected rain water or the water you use on other plants.
Rainfall is the best and most natural water for hens and chicks.
Step 2 – Check to see if your sempervivum soil (outdoors or indoors) already is damp.
If it is damp, wait a few days. If the soil feels mostly dry and you haven't watered in a week or so, it probably is time to water.
Step 3 – Gently pour water from the container near the plant or into the edges of the plant's pot.
Avoid hitting the leaves and crown of the plant with water if possible.
Step 4– It is best to water slowly and deeply so the plant receives about one-half inch of water a week, less if it has rained.
One way to water deeply is to pour slowly into a container and then return after the water has soaked in for a second slow drip.
Hens and Chicks Watering Tips
- Don't pour too much water onto the plant at once or for too many days in a row, even when dry.
- Tap water, well water or softened water might cause problems in hens and chicks.
- Water in the early morning when possible.
- Avoid over-watering hens and chicks.
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FAQs
Like many potted plants, the containers will be prone to drying out quickly. However, since hens and chicks are a part of the succulent family, they can tolerate dry periods. Supplemental watering should only be done about once a week, or when the soil is sufficiently dry.
How often should you water hens and chicks in a plant? ›
How often to water your Hens and Chicks. Hens and Chicks needs 0.8 cups of water every 12 days when it doesn't get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5.0" pot. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
What does an overwatered hen and chick look like? ›
Hens and Chicks are drought-tolerant plants, and too much water can make their leaves look swollen or mushy.
Do hens and chickens need a lot of water? ›
In the summer, hens and chicks are like sunbathers—thirsty for a good drink but not keen on drowning. Water deeply when the soil is dry to the touch, typically every 1-2 weeks.
Why are my hens and chicks plants dying? ›
💦 Overwatering and underwatering are common causes of leaf dropping in Hens and Chicks. 🌞🌡️ Environmental stress like insufficient light or temperature extremes can lead to leaf dropping. 🌱 Proper planting techniques and seasonal adjustments can prevent leaf dropping.
Can hens and chicks get too much sun? ›
Succulents need a lot of light, but there is such thing as too much sun. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum) are hardy outdoor plants that, once established, can tolerate an amazing amount of climatic extremes and neglect. And yet, even the most experienced growers can accidentally fry their semps.
Do hens and chicks like full sun or shade? ›
Get the most out of your hens and chicks plants by planting them in full sun to partial shade. These striking succulent varieties are hardy enough to tolerate an array of light and temperature conditions but put on their best show of vibrantly colored foliage when the sunlight is plentiful.
How to tell if over or under watering? ›
Feel the Soil: The simplest way to gauge your plant's watering needs is by feeling the soil. Turns out that old trick of sticking your finger into the soil up to the knuckle has merit! If it's soggy or has standing water, you're overwatering. If it's dry an inch below the surface, it's time to water.
How to tell if a succulent is thirsty? ›
The best way to determine if your succulent is dehydrated due to lack of water is through its leaves. If the leaf feels crispy and starting to have wrinkly and shriveled up leaves, then it's the best time to give your succulent a good soak of water, as these signs are indications of underwatering.
Why is my hen and chick plant growing tall? ›
Sometimes, hens and chicks get tall, or "leggy" because they are not receiving enough light and the plant is reaching in search of light. The stem from a leggy, light-deprived plant will look fairly weak and bare. A flower stalk will look rounder and lusher, with upward-facing bud clusters.
Light. This succulent prefers bright light and sunny conditions, but will tolerate light shade. In the correct growing conditions, a hens and chicks plant can spread up to 20 inches wide.
How do I know if my chickens are drinking enough water? ›
You can also choose to compare the water usage with the feed consumption, the so-called water/feed ratio. The intake of water and feed are linked: if a chicken does not drink enough, it will also eat less (and vice versa). On average, a chicken drinks about 1.8 ml of water for every gram of feed.
How many days can chickens go without water? ›
For adult chickens, lack of water for four days can lead to dehydration and death. For baby chicks, dehydration symptoms can set in much faster if the chicks suffer from water withdrawal for even a short period of time. Dehydration can lead to death in young chicks if it is not addressed quickly.
What is the best fertilizer for hens and chicks? ›
Hens and chicks need little or no supplemental fertilizer. If desired, apply a slow-release granular fertilizer in spring. For outdoor containers and indoor houseplants, feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer at 1/4 strength every week or two during their growing season of spring and summer.
What to do with leggy hens and chicks? ›
Trim the excess to keep your plant compact. Snip off leggy parts, aiming for a balanced look that complements its natural form.
Do hens and chicks have a death bloom? ›
Hens and chicks are classified as monocarpic. This means that they will flower, produce seeds and die shortly after. That being said, you will only see blooms on each plant once. Although this might be disheartening for a gardener, it's a natural process for the plant.
Do baby chicks need water overnight? ›
Feed and clean water should be available 24/7 for chicks until they are about eight weeks old and ready to go outside, at which time they can be fed at sunrise and then again before dusk, with no feed or water available to them at night.
How long can hens go without water? ›
Water for chickens should be dumped and refilled or topped off at least every 4 days, or more often if you live in hot temps. Chickens need access to water at all times.
How fast do hens and chicks spread indoors? ›
The plant starts out with a mother plant or the hen and as it grows, it will shoot out smaller offsets or chicks. The offsets are attached to the mother through lateral roots so the plant forms a dense colony of rosettes. The colony will only spread about 2 to 3 feet during a single growing season.
What is the best way to give water to chicks? ›
Water, at room temperature, should be available, but wait a couple hours to introduce feed. This gives chicks a couple hours to drink and rehydrate before they start eating, fresh, quality water is essential for healthy chicks. Dip the beaks of several chicks into the water to help them locate it.
