- timing and procedure
- The suitable substrate for the agave pot
- When repotting immediately think of the propagation
Many agave species are not hardy outdoors in this country and are therefore mostly cultivated as potted plants on the balcony or terrace. If the agaves get bigger over time, they should also be transplanted regularly into a new or larger pot.
Agaves only need to be repotted every two to three years
timing and procedure
In principle, other times are also possible for repotting agaves, but it is advisable to change the pot immediately after the winter has ended in spring. While pruning roots or leaves often has a stimulating effect on plant growth in other plant species, this should be avoided with agaves if possible. Since agaves can suffer significantly from damp, sore spots, yellow leaves should only be cut off at the base after they have completely dried out. Even without pruning, the agaves should get a slightly larger planter about every two to three years by repotting.
The suitable substrate for the agave pot
Special substrate mixtures for cacti are commercially available for succulent plants such as agaves. These are relatively low in nutrients and reduce the risk of waterlogging in the root area of the plants. After you have provided the base of the planter with drainage holes and a drainage layer of coarse gravel or pottery shards, you can also fill your own soil mixture of two-thirds ordinary potting soil and one-third of the following ingredients into the pot:
- lava pebbles
- pumice gravel
- quartz sand
These substrate portions ensure less water storage in the soil and thus prevent dangerous waterlogging in the root area of the agave.
When repotting immediately think of the propagation
If you are already disturbing the natural growth of the agave with care measures such as repotting, you can also think about propagating the plants. Carefully separate the offshoots from the mother plant with a sharp knife and place them in dry plant substrate. Like the mother plant, the offshoots may only be watered again about two to three weeks after repotting.
tips
Even if the spines on the leaf tips of the agaves do not bother you during the year, they can become a real risk of injury when repotting. You can put wine corks or similar materials on the spikes before repotting and remove them again after successful repotting if necessary.