advice needed on moving a agave?.

[billdango]

I am hoping some one can help me here?
Due to the constant vandalism to my 4 foot agave i may have to move it from its place by an outside wall.
This plant is about 15 years old and is constantly being slashed by someone with a knife.
I have decided to move it to a garden in St denys where it will be safe from the yobs.
What i need to know is how much root ball will i need to dig out with it and when will be the best time to move it.
rgds billdango.

[redsquirrel]

never had to worry about these before Bill,my guess would be now is as good a time as any because the plant wont be needing any water for a good few months ?? what do you think?
as for your rootball,dont go too mad,they are always sold in pots much smaller than you would think necessary and dont seem to suffer by it

[Conifers]

I'd be a bit worried about cut / broken roots giving root rot an entry point in winter wet, before the ends have had a chance to heal over. But maybe I'm just being pessimistic?

[Darlo Mark]

Bill, you are far more experinced than I am, and I don't have a lot of experience with Agaves. But here's my idea

dig up with as much root ball as you can

pot up in mainly grit

Over winter in the most shelterd place you have

plant out next May.

[redsquirrel]

very good valid point Connie, however,both those salmianas i got from bournemouth survived being dug up in september 08,one got potted,the other planted straight out. sadly both got hammered in the last two winters here

[billdango]

Thanks everyone for your advice.
After thinking long and hard on this problem i think i will leave it till next May as like you all say Winter rot may set in when i dig it up.
It is a bit late in the year now anyway so if it survives the constant attacks i,ll do it then .
rgds billdango.

[grub]

Don't forget to let us know how it goes Bill.

[sanatic1234]

Thanks everyone for your advice.
After thinking long and hard on this problem i think i will leave it till next May as like you all say Winter rot may set in when i dig it up.
It is a bit late in the year now anyway so if it survives the constant attacks i,ll do it then .
rgds billdango.

Hopefully bill when it gets colder the yobs will vacate indoors and LEAVE IT ALONE!
God some people are disrespectful.

[GREVILLE]

Bill, it annoyed me when I saw people carve their names into them when on holiday in the Med. Even more infuriating when you attempt these successfully here to have the same needless vandalism inflicted on them

Mind you, my window cleaner curses me when he tries to negotiate his ladder and bucket past my twenty year old monster. When he's shown me the blood the Agave has drawn, I tell him his rates are too high and to view his payment as danger money

Back on topic, I dug out a three foot A. Americana variegata last May. I first cut away some of the older, more prostrate leaves (no loss, as these had been spot damaged last winter) and lifted it with quite a small amount of root for its size. I transferred it to a tub of very gritty soil and it regrew slowly after an initial sulk.

It is still outside but will go in the greenhouse shortly, as long as it fits past the door

[billdango]

Thankfully the yobs have left it alone lately but the damage always occurs during the school holidays.
I will still consider moving it in may next year as they are perfectly hardy here in Southampton.
It will probably go to the St denys palm house and grow next to the Phoenix canariensis_CIDP in the front garden.
Its a shame that i have to move it as it has done very well in that spot by my wall since i planted it as a 6 inch baby back in 1995.
The other one in my front garden is still in perfect health and came through the last 2 winters completely undamaged.
I will keep all you forum members updated as to what happens next year.
rgds billdango.

[Dave Brown]

May would be the best time They don't need much root but be sure to add plenty of grit and gravel to the planting site. Best of luck moving it, as they are extremely heavy