Since the various agave species have spread almost throughout the Mediterranean region since human settlement, they have become a kind of yearning botanical symbol for many coastal regions in Italy, France and Spain. If hobby gardeners want to create a Mediterranean flair in their own garden with this very frugal plant species, they should be aware of the special needs of agaves.

Hardy agaves also thrive in Central European gardens

Agaves seasonally placed in the garden

Most agaves in private gardens are cultivated in pots because they are not sufficiently hardy in this country. In summer, the plants do well in a very sunny and warm location on the terrace or along a southern house wall. You should only water agaves in pots when the top layer of soil has already dried and is slightly crumbly. Potted agaves should be repotted into a larger planter about every two to three years, although watering should not be carried out immediately after repotting. If potted agaves were overwintered in a winter quarter that is not quite as bright, a slow acclimatization of the agaves to a semi-shady location outdoors is a good idea at the start of the season.

Caring for agaves planted in the garden

In some mild wine-growing locations, certain agave species can even grow outdoors all year round, including, for example:

  • Agave parryi
  • Agave megalacantha
  • Agave toumeyana
  • Agave utahensis

These species should generally tolerate brief frosts down to around minus 15 degrees Celsius, but other problems can also arise outdoors. So that the agaves do not show signs of rot in winter, the plants must be in soil that is as permeable as possible and contains gravel or sand.

Beware of the agave spines

The long and sharp spines of the agaves can not only be a nuisance during transport to the winter quarters, they are usually also exactly at eye level with the eyes of many children. An injury to the spines of the agave should not be underestimated, as it is not only extremely painful, but also heals relatively slowly. But you can be on the safe side by simply removing the danger from the spines of your agaves with bottle corks or a similar material. Many gardeners also simply cut off the thorns, but this poses an unnecessary risk of disease for the plants and makes the agaves not very aesthetic even after the wounds have healed.

tips

The biggest threat to agaves in the garden is excess moisture. You can prevent this with a special roof or cover in winter. Plant the agaves at an angle as slightly as possible so that rainwater can run off the leaf rosette.

Category:

Vegetable garden