Propagating house leeks?

[Seahorse]

I have some house leeks with lots of new babies. From what I can gather, I can take off the little ones and replant. I can't find any info though on whether I can just whip them off, or whether there's some sort of special technique (cutting? twisting? something else?).

[kentvegplot]

Cut the 'babies' off cleanly - don't leave too much 'stem', and just plant up in some well-drained soil/compost. I often wait until I see new roots appearing before I plant them, so you might want to wait a few weeks until the plants are growing a bit more strongly before doing it. If the 'babies' haven't got any roots, you just plant them by putting them on the surface of the soil.

Hope that helps. I got into the houseleeks in a big way a few years ago, I now have around 20 varieties

[Seahorse]

That's super, thanks!

20 varieties! I've got three different sorts but I'm jealous now!

[Flummery]

I once saw a picture of a large flat pan-type terracotta pot with the house number in pale green house leeks and the background in dark green ones. It looked SO classy I wanted to have a go. I did have get few house-leeks but then I decided life's too short. (Could have done it in the intervening 10 years if I'd got off me butt though!)

[Seahorse]

I've got a book with a pic of some fabulous stone tortoises, where all the hexagon bits of their shells are made of house leeks, very funky!

[Palustris]

Oh dear if you are into them in a big way with 20 what does that make me with over 200? My big problem now is that a lot of my labels have disappeared so which 200 I am not sure any more. There are only about 17 species by the way the reat or forms and hybrids. Very similar but always with yellow flowers and a different method of growing are Jovibarba.

[Seahorse]

Well, I feel positively inadequate now with my measly three and I'd never even heard of Jovibarba!

Do either of you have pics?

[kentvegplot]

Hi Seahorse, I'll see if I can find some pics of the varieties I grow.... watch this space!

[Palustris]

Me too, may not have pics of individuals, but got some of growing areas, somewhere!