Hens & Chicks

It’s PLANT week! This week’s tip is about cold hardy perennial succulents. What?! Yes- if you didn’t know already, we can easily grow cold hardy succulents that propagate themselves and earn their keep on our farms. We grow the sempervivum Winter Hardy Mix (also called Hens & Chicks) from Swallowtail Garden Seeds and while they say these plants are hardy to zone 5, ours do just fine here in zone 4. Sow your Hens & Chicks seeds indoors in late winter and plant out your little baby succulents after danger of frost. We plant ours under perennials that don’t want competition from taller plants, are disease prone, or just need more air circulation. Sempervivum complement peonies and roses in our plantings here. Your “mama hens” will soon grow little offshoots of babies. This drought-tolerant, low-growing plant is easy to offer in cute pots for table displays, as favors at events, as potted plants in your farm stand or flower shop, and as whimsical, non-wilting elements in floral design. Come along with me today and learn how we grow and work with them. This video is extra long- for anyone who wants to see how we pull these into design work, keep on watching and I’ll show you how I design a boutonnière with a “chick” and prepare a “hen” for a bridal bouquet. These succulents can even be taken back out of design work after an event and planted in the ground or in pots to root and keep growing.