Hens and chicks rotting or root rot, is most often caused by overwatering or poor drainage that leads to damaged roots.
It can also be caused by a fungal issue that can eat away at the roots, but most of the time it’s from the water damage itself.
So if you suspect your Hens and chicks are rotting, here are some signs to look out for and what you can do to save your Hens and chicks.
Signs of root rot
Unfortunately with root rot, your Hens and chicks could be starting to rot without your knowledge due to the roots being hidden under the soil at all times.
It’s very easy to either forget to check roots or never have a look at them at all.
So with that being said, most of the time you will have to rely on the signs and symptoms to know if your plant is experiencing rot.
Some of the warning signs of root rot can include the following.
- Foul odor coming from the plant
- Leaves have become droopy or wilted
- Yellow leaves
- Leaves have turned black or soft
- Leaves falling off
- Water isn’t draining like it once did
- Stunted growth overall
While some of these signs could mean other things, it’s always a good idea to have a look at the roots when you notice any of those symptoms to be safe.
It’s always better to deal with rot early on as the sooner you deal with it, the better chance you will have at saving your succulent.
Root rot causes
There are 2 main causes for your Hens and chicks rotting, both of which can be done by accident, but can be easy to prevent in the future.
Overwatering
Overwatering is the main cause for not only Hens and chicks rotting, but succulents and other plants in general.
Root rot is caused by standing water starving the roots of oxygen which damages them and renders them useless for providing water and nutrients to the plant.
Eventually the damage will become severe and the roots will become soft or mushy, turn dark, smell weird and easily fall apart.
When watering Hens and chicks, you want to make sure the soil has completely dried out before watering each time to prevent accidentally overwatering.
The best way to know when it’s time to water is by feeling the soil an inch or two deep.
If it’s completely dry then you’re good to water.
Watering before it has a chance to dry increases the likelihood of root rot significantly.
Hens and chicks succulents do not like standing water or wet feet.
Poor drainage
The other main cause for Hens and chicks rotting is from poor drainage which ties together with overwatering.
If your soil doesn’t drain well, the water won’t have anywhere to go.
So you could be watering pretty sparingly, but yet the roots can still get damaged when the water can’t drain fast enough and the roots are constantly moist.
This is why it’s very important to use soil that drains well when growing Hens and chicks, houseleeks, sempervivum or whatever you refer to them as.
They need well draining soil to not only thrive, but to survive.
If you’re unsure what kind of soil mix to use, there are plenty of succulent and cactus soil mixes that will work quite well for Hens and chicks.
Also if you’re growing in containers or pots, it’s a good idea to have a drainage hole at the bottom.
You can also add things like perlite to the soil to increase drainage even more.
Just do whatever it takes to ensure proper drainage as this is super important to prevent overwatering and root rot.
How to save your Hens and chicks
As mentioned earlier, the sooner you catch the root rot, the better chance you have and mitigating the damages or saving your plant.
Unfortunately, if the rot has progressed too far, it may not be possible to save your plant and your best bet will be to propagate your Hens and chicks from healthy parts of the plant.
It’s worth it to try though as it’s still very possible to save your Hens and chicks from rot when the right measures are taken.
Here are the steps needed to have the best possible chance to save.
Step 1
Remove your plant from the soil and container, give yourself some room to work with and prepare some sterile gardening shears or pruners.
Step 2
Prune back or cut away any rotted parts of your hens and chicks whether it’s the roots, leaves or most likely a combination.
Cut away any roots that are dark, mushy or easily fall apart as these roots are done for.
Keep as many if any, white and firm roots as these are still healthy and good to use.
Cut away rotted leaves or parts of the plant that are dark or mushy as well.
Step 3
Clean the remaining roots by rinsing them well with water and remove any attached soil by either rinsing or you can use a toothpick to pick away soil on the roots.
You don’t want any of the old soil going with your plant so try to make sure it’s all gone.
Step 4
Prepare a new container with fresh well draining soil and then wet the soil.
Make sure the container is the right size and only go up 1 pot size bigger than the one used before as a container that’s too large will cause drainage issues.
Step 5
Plant your Hens and chicks in the new soil and container and fill around the plant with the soil.
Be sure not to pack the soil too tight so the roots have room to breathe.
That’s all there is to it!
Prevention
Prevention really is the best way to deal with rot since you won’t have to deal with it in the first place!
Although odds are you’re already dealing with root rot, here are some useful tips you can utilize to prevent rot from occurring in the future.
- Water only when the soil has dried up
- Use well draining soil
- Use a drainage hole when growing in containers
- Check roots when there are usual signs
Final thoughts
By now you have a pretty good idea if your Hens and chicks are rotting or not.
If you follow the steps listed above, you will be in a position to have the best possible chance at saving your Hens and chicks succulent!
Just manage your expectations and do the best you can.
As always have fun, happy gardening and enjoy the process!