Winterizing hens and chicks

Marlena
by Marlena
How should I winterize my hens and chicks in a pot? Just recently given to me.
  22 answers
  • Mws389665 Mws389665 on Nov 04, 2014
    I put mine inside a garage next to a window.
  • Debra Grieve Debra Grieve on Nov 04, 2014
    You want to keep the pot from completely freezing. Bring them in if you can and put in a cool area. Only water when dry....this way they get a "rest" before spring. mwsacks has the right idea!
  • Su Su on Nov 04, 2014
    Should I do the same with all my succulents?
  • Terri Austill Terri Austill on Nov 04, 2014
    Mine stay out all winter-through ice and snow! Have for over 20 years. My mom always left hers out too!
  • Patricia Patricia on Nov 04, 2014
    I live in Michigan. We have heavy snow and I leave mine out. This year I had some in a beautiful pot I was concerned might break, so I brought that pot of hens in. I guess I'll find out if it makes a difference to the plant.
  • Therese Ryan-Haas Therese Ryan-Haas on Nov 04, 2014
    Up to you if you want to bring them in. They should do fine in the house.Just don't over water. But another suggestion is to just bury them in the pot if they are in plastic. Clay or ceramic may break. Or take out of pot and plant them in the ground. Either way heavily mulch them with grass clippings and leaves. Repot in spring.
  • Tessaroselyn Tessaroselyn on Nov 04, 2014
    what is the best pot to put hens and chicks
  • Debbie Evert Debbie Evert on Nov 04, 2014
    I've never brought them in and they do fine. I live in Colorado.
    • Eadie Eadie on Nov 05, 2014
      I leave mine out year after year and they are gorgeous every spring into summer. We live in Raleigh NC area.
  • Dorothy Dorothy on Nov 04, 2014
    Some succulents do fine through the winter even in nasty cold areas....hen and chicks, sedums like Autumn Joy and Dragons blood....while others need winter protection....burros tails etc. Look up each that you have and work from there. Varies for different temperature zones as well.....what winters outdoors happily in San Diego or Orlando may not do so well in Cleveland.
  • Monique Clouatre Monique Clouatre on Nov 04, 2014
    Hi, I live north of Montréal and my hen and chicks and sedum are left outside for years and are stll doing fine. Monique
  • Jacki Nino Jacki Nino on Nov 04, 2014
    My sister lives in Ky.She doesn't do anything to her's,after winter they come back stronger than the year before.
  • Gail Gail on Nov 04, 2014
    Mine are in a large rock with valleys in it that have maybe an inch of dirt and they stay out all winter. They have been growing for at least 10 years that way.
  • Karen Karen on Nov 04, 2014
    I have done both with my potted Hens and Chicks. Putting them in the garage helped them come back to life faster then when I left them out. My goal is to put all of mine in the ground.....
  • Bev Deardurff Bev Deardurff on Nov 05, 2014
    I've left my hens and chicks out all winter. Some were in clay pots laying next to the house that I just forgot about and the ohters were in a clay strawberry pot on my front steps. They did fine during our Ohio winters. They are on my front porch because they need to be repotted and I just haven't the time. The ones planted outside next to the house are over growing there bounderies. I believe these plants are difficult to kill. Just ignore them. Anybody need any hens and chicks?
    • Debra Grieve Debra Grieve on Nov 06, 2014
      @Bev Deardurff I'd love to take some off your hands, but we're a bit away from each other!! Lol!!
  • Su Su on Nov 05, 2014
    well thanks for the info.... I've got quite a few succulents besides the hen and chicks and was worried about them
  • Terri Austill Terri Austill on Nov 06, 2014
    Marlena, I leave mine out (and so did mom) in a pot all winter.
  • Cathy K Cathy K on Nov 06, 2014
    I usually leave mine outside all winter here in Wisconsin...but last years really nasty cold winter did a number on them...I have to add that they are in shells, in pots, etc...not directly in the ground...this year I bought them in the garage just to be safe. So bottom line is that they are really hardy, but -20 can do them in if they are in pots....good luck
  • Marlena Marlena on Nov 06, 2014
    Thank you Terri! I noticed that you are in Illinois. Is that zone 3? I am zone 5.
  • Tessaroselyn Tessaroselyn on Nov 07, 2014
    thank you all for the great suggestions ., but I for got to ask what kind of soil?? but from what I read it does not matter ??? or does it??? as long as it is not too deep and soggy ??
  • Gail Gail on Nov 07, 2014
    @tessaroselyn mine are just in that rock I spoke of in earlier post and living in the country I took a shovel to the field and got dirt. Take the grass/weeds off dig down and just regular dirt. I didn't use any potting soil because the rains and watering other flowers near would have washed that soil away. If your putting them in a pot probably just good potting soil/topsoil mix. That's my guess.
  • Merry Harshey Merry Harshey on Nov 07, 2014
    They are actually pretty hardy.I think if you cover up the pot (heavy plastic or something similar) they'll be fine.I've had some of my suculants overwintering for 20 years.
  • Marlena Marlena on Nov 07, 2014
    Thank you Merry! That is great to hear!