Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)— schedule & NPK
Also called Hens and chicks, Common houseleek, Houseleek, Roof houseleek, Liveforever.
More about hens and chicks
About Hens and chicks
Sempervivum tectorum · also called Hens and chicks, Common houseleek · houseplant
Hens and chicks is a hardy alpine succulent that forms tight rosettes (the "hen") ringed by offset pups (the "chicks"). Its one non-negotiable need is sharp drainage: it stores water in its fleshy leaves and rots quickly in soggy compost, so treat it lean, sunny and on the dry side.
Growth habit: Low, mat-forming evergreen succulent that spreads by short horizontal stolons, producing offset rosettes ("chicks") around the parent ("hen"). It is monocarpic: each rosette flowers once, sending up a starry pink bloom spike, then dies, but the surrounding chicks carry the colony on.
What fertiliser hens and chicks actually wants — and why
Hens and chicks is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for hens and chicks: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed hens and chicks, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For hens and chicks:
Feeds very lightly. A slow-release fertiliser mixed into the compost lasts months; otherwise a monthly weak general liquid feed during spring and summer growth is plenty. Do not feed in winter. Plants grown in open garden soil usually need no feeding at all, and over-feeding causes soft, rot-prone growth. Treat that as monthly between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when hens and chicks is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for hens and chicks
Half strength is the safe default for hens and chicks — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water hens and chicks first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the hens and chicks watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding hens and chicks
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for hens and chicks:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding hens and chicks
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full hens and chicks care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of hens and chicks with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for hens and chicks
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising hens and chicks — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does hens and chicks need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Hens and chicks is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed hens and chicks?
Feeds very lightly. A slow-release fertiliser mixed into the compost lasts months; otherwise a monthly weak general liquid feed during spring and summer growth is plenty. Do not feed in winter. Plants grown in open garden soil usually need no feeding at all, and over-feeding causes soft, rot-prone growth. Feeds very lightly. A slow-release fertiliser mixed into the compost lasts months; otherwise a monthly weak general liquid feed during spring and summer growth is plenty. Do not feed in winter. Plants grown in open garden soil usually need no feeding at all, and over-feeding causes soft, rot-prone growth. Treat that as monthly between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for hens and chicks?
Half strength is the safe default for hens and chicks — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding hens and chicks look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding hens and chicks year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of hens and chicks?
Flush the pot of hens and chicks with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Hens and chicks care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water hens and chicks — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise snake plant
- How to fertilise dracaena
- How to fertilise peperomia
- All 271 fertilising guides in the Growli library