Hens and chicks drooping can have a variety of causes and the vast majority of them will have to do with how you’re caring for them.
Hens and chicks, houseleeks, sempervivum or whatever you refer them by are actually quite easy to care for once you know what to do and avoid.
So if you’re running into a drooping issue or the hens and chicks are wilting then it’s time to take a closer look as to why.
Here are some of the most common causes and what you can do for a droopy hens and chicks plant today.
Improper Watering
The main cause for Hens and chicks drooping is improper watering.
This can be in the form of underwatering, overwatering or using soil that doesn’t drain well enough.
Underwatering
Drooping or wilting is often a sign of underwatering as the plant leaves get dehydrated, they will lose their ability to hold upright.
There is a common mistake people tend to fall for and that is misting succulents.
While misting succulents can be fine, this should not be a replacement for actually watering your Hens and chicks.
Hens and chicks like to be watered deeply each time until the water flows through the drainage hole of your container.
Doing less than this can certainly cause droopy or wilting leaves at the very least as well as stunted growth and other issues.
Overwatering
Another common mistake when watering hens and chicks is overwatering.
Overwatering can cause symptoms similar to underwatering because eventually overwatering can damage succulent roots and prevent them from working properly.
This means less water and nutrients are actually distributed to the rest of the plant, resulting in weak or unhealthy leaves on your houseleeks.
Some very possible signs you have been overwatering include the following.
- Drooping or wilting leaves
- Curling leaves
- Yellowing of the leaves
- Brown leaves or tips
- Stunted or slowed growth
- Soggy soil
Unfortunately it’s pretty easy to accidentally overwater as it can happen from watering too frequently, or the soil could be clumped up or not drain well.
Solution
If you suspect you have been underwatering your Hens and chicks, you should be able to just give your plant a drink more often and you can expect the leaves to return to normal.
If you think you have been overwatering then you need to look at how often you’re watering or the type of soil you’re using.
Hens and chicks like to be watering thoroughly each time so each time you water, soak the plant well.
Really give it a good drink.
But after you water, wait until the soil completely dries out before watering again.
The timetable for this can vary depending on a variety of factors such as the weather and where you’re growing.
So you could be watering once or twice a week, or maybe a couple times a month.
It just depends.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure the soil is fully dry each time before you give your Hens and chicks a drink.
Speaking of soil, make sure you use soil that drains well.
While hens and chicks may not be too picky on the type of soil so long as it’s well draining, you should find the best results when using a succulent and cactus soil mix.
You can also add things like perlite to the mix for maximum drainage.
Overall it’s easier to fix an underwatered hens and chicks plant than an overwatered one though.
If you suspect you’ve been overwatering, always check the roots to ensure you don’t have root rot.
Pests
Another big cause for Hens and chicks leaves drooping can be attributed to pests or bugs.
Aphids, mealybugs and spider mites are a few types of pests you may encounter when growing these succulents.
Pests generally only latch onto plants when they are under some sort of stress but they can also show up at random.
Unfortunately these pests will feed on the leaves of your houseleek, causing all sorts of damage as well as left behind honeydew which turns into sooty mold.
Once they feed on the sap of the leaves, this results in water and nutrient loss so you can get droopy or wilted leaves as a result in case you were wondering why.
Overall pests can certainly be a nuisance when you’re just trying to chill and grow your succulents and they seem to show up at random.
Solution
Some tried and true methods of getting rid of pests on plants include a few different methods.
One is using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol which is then used to wipe down the leaves or remove the pests by hand.
This works quite well but can be a bit time consuming.
Another effective method involves using neem oil to spray down your plant one or two times to remove the pests and help keep them from returning.
You can also use insecticidal soap to get a similar result.
In any case, once the pests are gone, you should prune back damaged parts of the succulent so you can get some fresh healthy growth.
Then you won’t have to worry about droopy leaves!
Lack of Light
Hens and chicks require plenty of light throughout the day to look and grow their best.
In general they prefer at least 6 hours of full sun per day, but you can get away with partial sunlight as well.
With that said, if your Hens and chicks aren’t getting enough light, you can expect the leaves to droop, especially in low light conditions.
This can even happen at night, temporarily of course.
Too little light can also cause chlorosis which can cause the leaves to turn yellow and grow poorly if you really neglect your plant by the way.
Solution
If you find your Hens and chicks not getting enough light outdoors then you should make sure there isn’t anything above obstructing light or move to a new location that gets plenty of sun.
If you’re growing indoors then you can try placing your houseleek near a south facing window for optimum sunlight or consider using an indoor grow light if that’s not possible for you.
Transplant Shock
Transplant shock or repotting stress can affect all kinds of plants and your Hens and chicks can be affected just as much.
This occurs when planting in a new location, disturbing roots or trying out different soils.
All of these things have a potential to stress your plant out and cause the leaves on your hens and chicks to droop more than usual.
If you have only noticed your Hens and chicks drooping or wilting shortly after a repot and not before, then transplant shock is most likely to blame.
Solution
When it comes to drooping caused by transplant shock, there isn’t really much you can do but wait it out as most plants recover on their own with time.
This can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months at worst.
You just have to be patient and keep providing great care and the leaves should stop drooping soon enough.
Some tips to prevent or reduce transplant shock in Hens and chicks include the following.
- Keep the roots intact
- Only go up one pot size per transplant
- Use similar soil as before unless it was the wrong kind
- Don’t pack in the soil too tight
Last Words
I’m confident that one or more of the causes listed above is the reason for your Hens and chicks drooping.
With that said, the wilting is most likely a watering issue so it’s best to look into that first and go from there.
Once you find the source and solution, your Hens and chicks should recover back to normal!