Refurbishing and Replenishing the Hens and Chicks
After a tough cold winter, the few remaining hens and chicks in the sphere are struggling. I sometimes just fill in the gaps with a few new ones, or completely tear them apart and start fresh from the ground up.
This time, I’m just going to leave the few rosettes that are rooted in and put lots of new ones to root in and replace the ones that didn’t make it.
Instead of taking the soil off the roots and then sticking the roots into holes in the coir fiber lining this sphere (two baskets) I just cut the rosettes off close to the soil level.
They quickly make new roots and it doesn’t involve any messing around trying to get the roots into place in the coir fiber.
You can see more about this technique on the remaking hens and chicks page.
I just set them on top and let them root in, which takes only a few weeks, four or five to really root through and start to grow.
These are just snuggled in close beside each other, and tucked under the wires to hold them in place to root. I chose to use lots of different textures and colors, and in time they’ll make a gorgeous tapestry.
Tatty and weather-beaten, the few remaining live plants will act as anchors for the new ones, preventing them from slipping off. Pictures of the fabulous result to follow, once the new rosettes are rooted in and growing.
