Sempervivum tectorum 12 cm
Common houseleek
- Form
- tight
- Water
- 12 d
- Zone
- 4–9 (survives −30 °C in free-draining ground)
- Mix
- 1 pumice : 1 grit : 1 loam-based potting compost, by volume
Species file
Genus · Sempervivum
Sempervivum
hardy outdoor houseleeks, not house plants. One file in the collection so far — Sempervivum tectorum. Dormancy for the whole genus falls in January, February, December.
| Month | State | What the plant wants |
|---|---|---|
| January | Rest | Out of action for this genus — no water unless the plant visibly shrinks, and no repotting. |
| February | Rest | Out of action for this genus — no water unless the plant visibly shrinks, and no repotting. |
| March | Growth | Repotting window opens for summer growers. Trim roots, refresh the mineral fraction, dry for a week. |
| April | Growth | Growth restarts. First full watering at the rim, then resume the published interval. |
| May | Growth | Peak growth and the offset season. Feed at quarter strength every third watering. |
| June | Growth | Lengthening days, rising heat. Watch the leaf turgor test rather than the calendar. |
| July | Growth | Hottest weeks. Water in the evening, a third of the spring volume, and only on a visible symptom. |
| August | Growth | Heat eases at night. Prepare mix and pots for the autumn repotting window. |
| September | Growth | Autumn window for winter growers. Root-prune and repot while the soil is still warm. |
| October | Growth | Peak autumn growth. This is the season when most colour work should be done. |
| November | Growth | Daylight falls fast. Taper watering by a quarter and stop feeding entirely. |
| December | Rest | Out of action for this genus — no water unless the plant visibly shrinks, and no repotting. |
Tinted rows are the months this genus is genuinely out of action: no repotting, no feeding, and water only if the plant visibly shrinks.
Other genera
Echeveria Echeveria
Sedum Sedum
Haworthia Haworthia
Crassula Crassula
Graptopetalum Graptopetalum
Aeonium Aeonium
Pachyphytum Pachyphytum
Senecio Senecio