How to Plant Hens & Chicks in a Special Planter

Choose a planter. You can use almost anything -- flower pots, strawberry jars, clay pots. Hens and chicks will thrive in almost any type of soil but must have good drainage, so make sure the planter does not retain water. They are a succulent and do not require much water. They do well in full sun but also tolerate partial shade, a consideration when you place the planter.

Fill the planter with potting soil or sandy loam and add compost, gravel or vermiculite. Hens and chicks will thrive in soils where most plants cannot grow if it is well drained. They actually do well in virtually no soil, which is why they are so often planted in rock gardens. Immediately after transplanting, water well. Then let the soil dry out and water infrequently. Don't overwater.

Separate the chicks. Hens and chicks can thrive together indefinitely, although in some varieties the main or "hen" plant will flower, then die. But the chicks will take root and live independently and become hens on their own. You can separate them by gently pulling out a chick and replanting it in another pot or in another hole in a strawberry container. In short order, it will become a "hen" and start sending out its own offshoots to become "chicks."