Mia Patel
As the cold season ends, it's time to bring your hens and chicks back outdoors. These plants are known for their resilience, surviving even the harshest winters. While they don't require protection from the cold, wet conditions can be detrimental, so ensuring good drainage is vital. With spring's arrival, it's essential to assess your plants for any winter damage, such as rotting rosettes or brown leaves. Pruning any injured foliage will help the plant focus on its recovery. As temperatures rise, gradually adjust your watering schedule, and as spring approaches, resume fertilizing to support their growth. For those who kept their hens and chicks indoors during winter, it's crucial to reintroduce them to the outdoors gradually, allowing them to acclimatize to the changing temperatures and reacquaint themselves with their surroundings.
What You'll Learn
Bring them inside before the first frost hits
While hens and chicks are hardy plants that can survive the winter, you might want to bring them inside before the first frost hits. This is a good option if you want to keep them safe from the harshest weather conditions and ensure they don't dry out or rot.
To prepare your plants for their indoor stay, first select the right container. Choose a pot with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging and root rot. Then, fill the pot with well-draining soil, such as a succulent or cactus mix. Avoid clay or terracotta planters, as these can break apart in freezing temperatures. Instead, opt for resin plastic, cement, metal, or wooden planters.
Once you've potted your hens and chicks, place them in a bright, sunny spot. A south-facing window is ideal, but you can also use a grow light. Your plants will need 6-8 hours of bright, indirect sunlight daily. Maintain a temperature of 60°F to 70°F (15°C to 21°C) and keep humidity low. Water sparingly, only when the soil is completely dry, to avoid overwatering and rot.
If you're bringing your plants inside, it's important to acclimatize them gradually to their new environment. Don't move them from a warm, sunny spot outdoors to a cool, dark room inside. Instead, transition them to a partially shaded area outdoors before bringing them inside. Similarly, when spring arrives, gradually adjust your watering schedule as temperatures rise. Start by watering more frequently, but always check that the soil is dry before adding more water.
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Place them in a sheltered location
If you live in a place with a cold winter climate, it is recommended to place your hens and chicks in a sheltered location. This is because they are susceptible to rot if they are exposed to wet winter conditions.
To protect your plants from frost, you can cover them with a burlap sack or frost cloth. This is especially effective during extreme cold spells. You can also use mulch—a layer of it insulates the soil and roots, helping to maintain a stable temperature.
If you do choose to bring your plants inside during the winter, they will not go dormant. Their growth will slow down, and they will need up to six hours of sunlight per day. Place them in a south-facing window or under a grow light. If you are bringing your plants inside, only do so for a few weeks at a time, and make sure the temperatures are not drastically different from inside to outside. This will prevent you from putting too much stress on the plant, which could kill it.
If you are keeping your plants outside, make sure to clean away ground debris to reduce moisture from collecting or introducing rot. If you are keeping your plants in pots, you may want to bury the pots in the ground so that the roots do not get too cold from the cold air surrounding the pot.
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Ensure frost protection
Hens and chicks are hardy plants that can survive winter with minimal care. However, if you want to ensure your plants thrive and are ready to flourish in spring, there are some measures you can take to protect them from frost damage.
Firstly, consider bringing your plants indoors before the first frost hits. Place them near a south-facing window to ensure they receive full sunlight. If natural light is insufficient, supplement it with a growing light. Maintain a temperature range of 60°F to 70°F (15°C to 21°C).
If you decide to keep your plants outdoors, choose a sheltered location. Avoid frost damage by ensuring your plants are in well-drained soil. Use sandy or gravelly soil, or a succulent or cactus mix if your plants are indoors. Do not overwater, as this can lead to root rot. Remove ground debris to reduce moisture collection.
For those caring for chickens, a coop is essential to protect your birds from the cold. Ensure the coop has good ventilation to prevent moisture buildup, which can cause frostbite. Avoid using materials that retain the cold, such as metal or plastic, for the roosts. Instead, opt for wooden boards. You can also apply petroleum jelly to chicken combs and wattles to prevent frostbite damage.
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Provide bright, indirect sunlight
Succulents like hens and chicks require bright, indirect sunlight, especially during the rosette stage. Aim for a minimum of six hours of bright sunlight daily. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing window is a great option and provides enough light even during the winter months. However, if your succulent is placed too close to the window, direct light through the glass can scorch the leaves. Therefore, it is important to maintain a safe distance from the window.
The amount of sunlight your hens and chicks receive will impact the intensity of their colours. They develop interesting patterns of coloration, with the tips of their leaves ranging from red to orange to bluish to purple. If your plant appears pale and weak, it may be a sign that it needs to be moved to a brighter location.
During the summer, the sun is more intense, and during the winter, it is weaker and briefer. Therefore, the sun's angle and duration change with the seasons. When transitioning your plant from indoors to outdoors or vice versa, it is important to do so gradually. Start by placing your plants in a shaded area for a few hours each day, slowly increasing their exposure to direct sunlight over one to two weeks. This will help your plant avoid the equivalent of a nasty sunburn.
Although hens and chicks require bright light, too much direct sunlight can lead to stress. The ideal temperature range for these plants is 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. They can handle cooler temperatures, but their growth may slow down. Afternoon shade is preferable to harsh midday sun, which can scorch the leaves. If you live in a particularly hot climate, consider using a 30% shade cloth to protect your plants from the intense sun.
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Resume fertilisation in spring
As spring approaches, it's time to resume fertilisation for your hens and chicks plants. Begin feeding them with a balanced fertiliser to support their growth.
When fertilising and caring for your plants in spring, it is important to first assess them for any signs of damage from the winter. Look for common indicators such as brown or mushy leaves and rotting rosettes. Check the overall health of your plants by examining offsets and new growth. Healthy offsets signal resilience, while a lack of new growth may indicate stress. To help your plants bounce back, start by pruning any damaged leaves. Removing dead or unhealthy foliage allows the plant to focus its energy on recovery.
Next, reassess your soil conditions. Ensure that the soil remains well-draining to prevent future issues. Adjust your watering schedule gradually as temperatures rise. Start by watering more frequently, but always check that the soil is dry before adding moisture.
Hens and chicks are drought-tolerant perennials that can withstand weeks without water. Give newly transplanted plants sufficient water to help them get established, but once they are, be careful not to overwater them. These plants prefer sandy or gravelly, well-draining soil, making them a great choice for rock gardens, wall crevices, and places where other plants struggle.
If you brought your plants indoors for the winter, it is important to transition them effectively when bringing them back outdoors. Place them in a sheltered location or put them outside during the warmest part of the day in a protected enclosure, gradually increasing their exposure to the outdoors. This will help them adjust to the changing temperatures and reduce stress on the plants.
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Frequently asked questions
As winter ends, check your plants for signs of damage, such as brown or mushy leaves and rotting rosettes. Prune any damaged leaves to help the plant recover. Gradually adjust your watering schedule as temperatures rise, ensuring the soil is dry before watering. Resume fertilizing your plants as spring approaches.
First, acclimatize your chicken to cooler temperatures by letting her spend time outside during the warmest part of the day in a protected enclosure. Slowly raise the heat lamp each day until she is climatized, then reintroduce her to the rest of the flock.
Yes, frost protection is crucial for hens and chicks plants. Cover them with burlap or frost cloth during extreme cold spells. You can also use mulch to insulate the soil and roots, and place the plants in a sheltered area to reduce wind exposure.
It is possible to bring your plants indoors during the winter, but they will not go dormant and their growth will slow down. Place them in a south-facing window or under a grow light to ensure they receive enough sunlight. If you do bring them inside, avoid drastic temperature changes when moving them back outdoors, as this can kill the plant.
