The agave is a succulent plant originally from the Americas. Plants from the asparagus family, often associated with cacti because of their properties, were planted in parks and gardens around the Mediterranean for centuries and are now also popular plants in private gardens.

The agave feels most comfortable in a sunny spot

How often should agaves be watered?

As plants originally native to deserts and semi-deserts, agaves need a location that is as sunny as possible for healthy growth. The plants are adapted to a climate with irregular rainfall and store a lot of water in the thick leaves. In the garden bed or in the pot, agaves should only be watered when the top layer of soil around the plants has dried. The root ball below the leaf rosette does not tolerate waterlogging, but must never dry out completely. In midsummer, you should water agaves sparingly every few days, while the plants should hardly be watered in winter quarters. As soon as the leaves become thin and wrinkled, agaves should be watered urgently.

What should be considered when repotting agaves?

Agaves are relatively unproblematic when it comes to repotting, usually every one to two years when the plants are wintered in the garden, they are moved to a slightly larger planter. A mixture of two thirds of potting soil and one third of sand (e.g. quartz sand) should always be used as the substrate. Larger stones and holes in the lower area of the planter prevent dangerous waterlogging in the root area of the agave.

When and how should agaves be pruned?

Since the leaf rosettes of the agaves grow very compact anyway, it is generally not necessary to cut back these plants. However, yellow or rotten leaves should be cut off as early as possible close to the base without damaging the stalk of the plant. This removal of dead leaves results in a trunk-like, woody plant base over time in particularly old specimens.

Which pests can be dangerous for the agaves in the garden?

The very robust agaves are occasionally attacked by the following pests:

  • scale insects
  • mealybugs
  • palm weevil

You can get rid of scale insects and mealybugs relatively easily with a sponge and a small amount of washing-up liquid. Unfortunately, there is still no effective antidote against the larvae of the notorious palm weevil.

Are there common diseases that affect agaves?

Agaves are not really often attacked by diseases in this country. If the leaves become discolored or die off, this is usually due to care errors such as soil that is too moist.

How is the agave optimally fertilized?

During the hibernation you should not fertilize the agave at all, in the summer months it can be fertilized sparingly every two weeks with a suitable complete fertilizer in the irrigation water.

What should be considered when overwintering the agave?

While many agaves can only tolerate slight sub-zero temperatures for short periods of time, other species survive the winter outdoors with a certain amount of winter protection. You should therefore pay close attention to the care instructions for your respective agave specimens. Agaves that are not frost-hardy are ideally overwintered at around 4 to 14 degrees Celsius in a bright spot indoors. If you do not have an appropriately tempered and bright stairwell, basement or attic room, a rather cool room in the apartment such as the bedroom can also be used.

tips

There are many different species of agave, which not only differ in their frost tolerance, but also in their growth rate and size. An agave cultivated in a tub can reach proportions over the years that make moving to the winter quarters and back to the garden a real feat of strength. For year-round care on the windowsill, you should select agaves in specialist shops, which are generally rather slow-growing and remain relatively small.

Category:

Vegetable garden