As autumn hits we see dazzling colors on display. Not only do the trees show off their fiery fall hues, but hens and chicks kick things up a notch as well. The cooler temperatures bring out brilliant reds in sempervivum and jovibarba succulents. Varieties like jovibarba rollers with their bright red tips look so good, who wouldn't be tempted to plant some more in their yard. So, naturally, we start getting a lot of questions from people saying, "I really want to plant some more hens and chicks, but is it too late in the year?"

With hardy hens and chicks you can always test things out with a few plants. In our region of Oregon we can plant hens and chicks outside year round. In the winter it doesn't stay cold enough for long enough to hurt the plants.

Fall is actually a very popular time to plant sempervivums. Although the foliage doesn't grow very much in the fall and winter, their roots grow like crazy. Planting in the fall is a great way to have well established, strong plants ready to spread and fill in the growing space in the spring. As mentioned before, hens and chicks also look great this time of year and it is fun to watch them change with the weather.

Although sempervivum hens and chicks are extremely cold hardy, we suggest that they be established in the ground before winter hits to improve their survival. This means planting your hens and chicks 5-7 weeks before the ground freezes in your area. This will give your new plants plenty of time to spread their roots before being exposed to severe conditions. Of course, you can plant starts inside, in a greenhouse, or in a protected area year round.