Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Panama Pete

Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Panama Pete »

Agave chat is a bit quiet this year, i'm guessing a lot of the large ones planted out died in the last previous winters :?:
I've been quite successful with pot grown ones and now have lots of small ones. See picture. :><:

Anyone still got them planted out? there still out there you know.....This is a garden in Paignton, Devon, where I never fail to notice a few agaves.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=paignt ... 4,,1,17.34
Attachments
agaves.jpg
GREVILLE

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by GREVILLE »

Lost count of all my potted Agaves but have three in the ground: americana more than twenty years, americana variegata seven years and parryi twelve years. There has been no obvious growth in recent years thanks to intense root competition. At least it means their toes are dry in winter and accounts in part for their survival without damage.
GrevPlants 2012 093.JPG
Not the best pic but the only one of this ugly brute from the spring of last year
Panama Pete

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Panama Pete »

Looks a fair plant that.
bordersboy

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by bordersboy »

Its been a good year for my Americanas.The 2 big ones have grown well this year with more feed and watering and have thankfully produced few pups. Last years pups(30) were put in the small poly greenhouse and have been left zipped up in the full sun and have baked but grown really well. This seems to be a good way to force rapid growth,bake them. icon_sunny
paulrm71

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by paulrm71 »

It's been a good year for mine as well. Planted up outside I have americana medio Picta alba, a. Ovatifolia and a.montana. Lost a good sized a.salmiana last winter due to rot. Inside I have a decent sized a. Utahensis var eborispina and two pups, another medio Picta pup and a.angustifolia marginata. All have put on really good growth.
Kristen

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Kristen »

Should I grow some from seed? or is it a long term project and would be better to find plants?

I made a short list on a seed site:

Agave attenuata - Foxtail Agave
Agave americana ssp. americana - American aloe
Agave ovatifolia - Giant Whale's Tongue
Agave utahensis
Agave victoria-reginae - Queen Victoria's Agave
Aloe ferox - Bitter Aloe
Aloe polyphylla - The Spiral Aloe

Ermmm ... worth a try of this? :)
Euphorbia candelabrum - Giant Naboom

Don't want to grow any that will be very hard to germinate, or grow on, as I don't have enough time to mollycoddle any of them individually, so would appreciate advice on which ones are Good Do'ers. I'd prefer they were outside during the Summer, plunged pots maybe, but they can come in for the winter if needs be.

Any that I missed?
Steph
Posts: 993
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:25 pm
Location: East London, bordering Essex.

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Steph »

Mine are all growing well, nothing expired since 2010.
If anything the ones planted in the xeric beds suffered last winter 'cos I kept them too well covered and they got a bit damp. They have recovered no signs of it now, so next winter I shall be better with the covers/ventilation.

Kristen, buy plants lifes too short for seed.
paulrm71

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by paulrm71 »

A. Utahensis is very slow, I have had around 8 new leaves in 18 months.....but so worth it, I love them. THey really don't like too much water though, whereas Montana, americana and ovatifolia are quite tolerant (apart from in winter).
Attachments
A.utahensis eborispina
A.utahensis eborispina
Kristen

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Kristen »

Steph wrote:Kristen, buy plants lifes too short for seed.
How long are we talking about? I grow loads of plants each year, so every year a batch, from seed sown or cuttings taken year(s) before becomes large enough to plant, or mature enough to flower ... or big enough to be proud of :)

So I can wait, but it depends ... if they are tiny-tiny for years there is far more chance I will kill them before they come of age.
miketropic

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by miketropic »

I know most winters in the UK don't get as cold as mine but I am surprised to not see anyone growing some of the best cold hardy types. I wouldn't dare try americana outside in my winter but we have some good ones over here that take cold well. I have been looking for A. Utahensis over here with little luck so its good to see one. Here is one of my parryi but I don't know what the cultivar name is..VERY cold hardy as the man I got it from lives in a 5B zone

Image

I also have a parryi truncata and a neomexicana but both are small. there are about 4 or 5 more I know will take a 6B winter that I am hunting. Nice Agaves everyone
Rob S

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Rob S »

These are doing very well, much bigger now;

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=southe ... 35.26,,0,0
miketropic

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by miketropic »

double post
Steph
Posts: 993
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:25 pm
Location: East London, bordering Essex.

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Steph »

Kirsten, don't know how long you're prepared to wait but I have bought various small agaves, grown them for 2 years and they are still small plants... some grow faster than others and the climate affects thing as well.
I don't actually have the space to accommodate zillions of seedlings... or the patience.

For me the best has been to pick up allsorts in the sales and grow them on from there.

Saying that I have a Parryi outside, one that looked a bit sodden at the end of the winter and that has thrown 4 maybe 6 pups and they are growing at a noticeable speed.
Half Hardy

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by Half Hardy »

Kristen wrote:Should I grow some from seed? or is it a long term project and would be better to find plants?

I made a short list on a seed site:

Agave attenuata - Foxtail Agave
Agave americana ssp. americana - American aloe
Agave ovatifolia - Giant Whale's Tongue
Agave utahensis
Agave victoria-reginae - Queen Victoria's Agave
Aloe ferox - Bitter Aloe
Aloe polyphylla - The Spiral Aloe

Ermmm ... worth a try of this? :)
Euphorbia candelabrum - Giant Naboom

Don't want to grow any that will be very hard to germinate, or grow on, as I don't have enough time to mollycoddle any of them individually, so would appreciate advice on which ones are Good Do'ers. I'd prefer they were outside during the Summer, plunged pots maybe, but they can come in for the winter if needs be.

Any that I missed?
I bought some parryi neomexicana seed,recently it was very cheap (less than 10p per seed) I have already got over 75% to germinate in less than 4 weeks.I can pm you the seller details if you are interested.
miketropic

Re: Anyone growing Agaves this year?

Post by miketropic »

Half Hardy wrote:
Kristen wrote:Should I grow some from seed? or is it a long term project and would be better to find plants?

I made a short list on a seed site:

Agave attenuata - Foxtail Agave
Agave americana ssp. americana - American aloe
Agave ovatifolia - Giant Whale's Tongue
Agave utahensis
Agave victoria-reginae - Queen Victoria's Agave
Aloe ferox - Bitter Aloe
Aloe polyphylla - The Spiral Aloe

Ermmm ... worth a try of this? :)
Euphorbia candelabrum - Giant Naboom

Don't want to grow any that will be very hard to germinate, or grow on, as I don't have enough time to mollycoddle any of them individually, so would appreciate advice on which ones are Good Do'ers. I'd prefer they were outside during the Summer, plunged pots maybe, but they can come in for the winter if needs be.

Any that I missed?
I bought some parryi neomexicana seed,recently it was very cheap (less than 10p per seed) I have already got over 75% to germinate in less than 4 weeks.I can pm you the seller details if you are interested.
I have a little pup of neomexicana and I really like it already
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