Why are Hen and Chicks Plant Dying | Do this to Save Them!!

Succulents are of different types one of them is Sempervivum and they come under the category of hardy succulents. Hen and chicks are one of those types of Sempervivum that usually have a tendency to produce shoots which are called chicks.

Whenever they produce shoots we have to detach them from the plant and have to propagate the chicks.

Many people face the problem that their hen and chick plant is dying and they don’t know what to do about it to save them. Let’s quickly get to know: Why are my Hen and Chick plant dying?

Hen and chick plants die mostly because either the plant is overwatered or underwatered. Another reason they die is because of their nature as these plants are monocarpic. Their nature is to produce flowers and then die off.

These are the most common reasons why they keep dying. To save hen and chicks you need to chop off the chicks and then propagate them by replanting.

In this article let’s get to know what exactly you should do to save your hen and chicks. Also, get to know how to propagate them and to take care of your beautiful hen and chicks.

Say no to Dead leaves!

Shriveled leaves are a natural process mostly every succulent gets rid of the unwanted leaves whenever the time is right. That doesn’t mean that shriveled leaves are not a problem, it can also occur when you are overwatering or underwatering a succulent.

Leaves also tend to shrivel when the plants aren’t exposed to the sunlight. Hen and chicks love the sun and they grow better when they get enough sun.

As soon as you notice the dead leaves try removing them right away. Just pull off the leaf from the plant with your fingers. Do this with little care and make sure that you do not uproot the plant.

This will allow plants to breathe and will help the soil to dry naturally. It will also give the plant a very fresh and beautiful look.

Related Article:

Why are Hen and Chicks plants growing tall?

How to grow Hen and chicks?

Hen and chicks are very beautiful plants and they come in many different varieties. And due to these varieties, every plant has its special needs for growing healthy and beautiful.

These specific needs for growth are one of the main reasons why your hen chick plant is dying. Knowing the best way for a particular variety is very important.

Let’s get to know the basic strategies for growing hen and chicks.

1. Choose a good soil

Hens and chicks grow properly in sandy soil which provides them with good drainage. You can add potting mix to the sandy soil to give them proper nutrients for healthy growth.

Also, use coarse sand for better results as it also provides good drainage for the plant. They usually thrive in the cracks of the rock walls.

2. Climate

For growing hens and chicks climate plays an important role as these are hardy succulents they do good in warmer environments. If you have the plant outside during the winter make sure to bring it indoors.

Then keep the plant in a place where they can get a shade of light so that it won’t lack light and that will help them to survive winter. 

3. They love Sunlight 

Hens and chicks love the sun. They need moderate to full sun to grow beautifully. Once they are exposed to a good amount of sunlight they start to blossom their vivid colors.

Remember they do not like extreme sunlight. So during the summertime, it’s too hot outside, and if your plant gets that hot sun that will end up damaging a beautiful plant.

During those extreme climates, it’s better to bring the succulent indoors and place them in a place where they get a shade of light. This will help the plants to retain their vivid colors and will prevent them from dying.

It’s important to remember even though they are hardy succulents they are prone to environmental harm. 

4. Watering schedule

While growing any succulent or hens and chicks plant watering is one of the most important factors to keep them alive. In this case, hens and chicks need very less amount of water as they are drought plants, they can go weeks without watering.

But while replanting your hens and chicks remember to give them enough water. The best watering schedule for the hens and chicks is the soak and dry method.

It’s a simple method the first time when you water, soak the soil completely and then wait for the soil to dry. As soon as the soil dries in a few days, again water the plant.

This is one of the methods you can use for watering. Usually what I do is water the plant once a week and I feel that’s sufficient for them to grow healthy and beautiful.

Propagation of Hen and chicks 

Hens and chicks are some of the easiest plants to propagate. The reason why they are easy to propagate is that they produce many offspring (chicks) which are easy to chop off the plant and replant for propagation. 

Hens and chicks have three different varieties but the most common one we know is the Sempervivum. When we are propagating the Sempervivum they produce the offsprings on the runners.

When they are grown big enough just pluck them out from the plant and replant them in a new pot. By doing this you will start the propagation process of the new hens and chicks. Within a few weeks, you will have your new beautiful plant.

Hens and chicks have a life cycle of three years. Before dying the hens and chicks already have produced many chicks to continue their legacy. So in short we can say the hens and chicks will never die they will keep on reproducing themselves. 

Taking care of hen and chick plant

These are the favorite plants among the gardeners they love growing hen and chicks. It’s just because of their ability to produce the shoots. Taking care of such plants becomes a priority for many people.

While taking care of hens and chicks you should always consider these things:

• Always have well-drained soil and good quality potting mix for growing these hens and chicks. 
• Depending on the climate always remember to give them proper sun exposure. They do need a good amount of sunlight for growing in beautiful vivid colors.
• If they are indoor then place them near a window or in any place where they get a good shade of light or you can use grow lights for succulents.
• While watering them make sure not to overwater or underwater the hens and chicks. Consider watering them once a week. That’s enough water for these drought plants.
• Hens and chicks may need the water depending on the climate so make sure to check the soil once a while if it’s dry then water the plant (Soak and dry method).

Final thoughts

Hens and chicks are beautiful succulents that are continuously producing chicks. Even if the mother plant (hens) dies they leave their legacy and fill the empty space by producing chicks. These are beautiful plants to have and many succulent growers love these hens and chicks.

I hope you found this useful. Do share this information with someone who needs to know this!!

If you have any queries make sure to leave a comment below.

Happy Planting!