Sempervivums are my favorite succulent of all time. I live in North Idaho and it gets really cold and snowy here in the winters. Sempervivums, aka hardy succulents are the easiest succulent to grow outside all year round. They are hardy down to zone 4 in most states and can be left outside in pots growing under the snow all winter long with no attention at all.
I own a nursery in Post Falls, Idaho and literally have over an acre of colorful Sempervivums that are living in 3 and 4 inch plastic pots on the ground with no care during the winters. They are covered by the snow as it comes, and in the spring when the snow melts away, every pot is filled with water covering the plant. That used to make me nervous because hardy succulents like well-draining soil in a dry place. The first time I saw this I was horrified that everyone was going to rot with all that water in each pot. Eventually the soil in the pots thawed and the water drained away revealing wonder colorful plants that are much hardier than I could have ever imagine.
During the summer, hardy succulents are as easy as you can imagine. They do best in full or partial sun and good draining soil. I like to use a good quality potting soil and mix it half and half with perlite to encourage good draining. I also add slow release fertilizer in my potting soil so they are getting fertilized on a regular basis. However, hardy succulents do well with no fertilizer at all.
My favorite thing to do with colorful hardy succulents is to create containers of them in old vintage finds. Things like old galvanized watering cans, old coal bucket, galvanized wash tubs, even rusty coffee or tea pots. The possibilities are endless. The beauty of these amazing plants is that you can leave your succulents outside in those cute little old containers over the winter, and they will look even more beautiful when the snow melts in the spring. Grouping these succulents together into an old container makes a great Succulent Christmas gift for fellow plant lovers.
I have written a book about this exact subject. The book is called Funky Containers and it is about vintage containers as a unique succulent gift to yourself or your friends.
I hope you have fun with hardy succulent in the near future. The possibilities are endless. Once you delve into these amazing plants, you will be hooked.
Stacey Mann
Funky Containers Book