As I look at glazed ceramic pots, ironworks, decorative planters and pretty much anything else that could hold a little dirt, I find myself thinking, "Hens and Chicks would look great in that!"

I recently found a wire chicken container that looked like it was made to plant up with Hens and Chicks. So, here's a little step-by-step in planting up containers that aren't solid.

1. All you need is the container, potting soil, sphagnum moss and the hen and chick plants.
2. Soak the sphagnum moss in a bowl of water. Let it absorb the water, then wring the moss out like a sponge. This will make the sphagnum moss pliable and easy to shape in your container. Cover the inside of your wire frame with a thick layer of moss... about 3/4" to 1" thick.

   

3. Begin planting at the bottom of the container. Just poke a hole in the moss and feed the hen and chicken plant roots through. Then pack soil around the roots inside the container. The potting soil will help hold the plant in place. If the plant is still trying to fall out, you may need to use a little bit of wire to hold it in place until the root begin to take hold. Just loop the wire across the plant and hook it to a section of the wire frame of the container. There isn't a wrong way to do this, just set it up so the plant stays in place for a couple weeks while the roots grow.

   

4. Work your way up the container, filling it with dirt as you insert plants.

   

5. Finish by planting the top with succulents.

Your containers will look amazing planted with hens and chicks, sedums and other succulents. On this planting I left space for my plants to grow. In a couple months it will be all filled in and I will have a chicken with a body of hens and chicks.