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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Not So Glamorous Gardening - Repotting Agaves

A few years ago, an Agave 'Mr. Ripple' came home with me.  It got potted up  a couple of times but for at least two years had languished in this pot that got dragged in and out each year.  Because the plant had totally grown over the surface of the soil, it had become very difficult to water the plant so it clearly needed a new pot but being incredibly top heavy, I didn't know how I could accomplish this without harming the agave and/or the gardener.  Turns out that putting the pot on it's side on the edge of a table with the leaves of the agave worked pretty well.  Because it was so dry, it came out pretty easily.

There were a couple of pups that needed to come off.  putting the plant in it's new pot in the greenhouse would have made it way too heavy to lug outside so I grabbed the roots and took it swiftly outside where the rest of the operation took place.

The pups got potted.  Notice all that dirt on the table?  Not the most glamorous job.

 Speaking of not-so glamorous, here's the danger gardenette at the moment during the awkward stage when the winter pots of evergreens have been moved out but the succulents and cacti aren't in place yet.   The repotted agave (sun scars are from last year's move.) is the first one out of the greenhouse and since it's supposed to be hardy to zone 7 and the pot is to big to haul around,  it'll stay outside permanently. 

Meanwhile, back inside, this poor Agave bovicornuta, one of my first that came to me in a four inch pot about ten years ago, had survived an attack of scale insects last year but never seemed to really perk up.  Seemed I couldn't give it enough water.  When I took it out of it's pot to inspect the roots, I felt horribly guilty for not checking earlier.  The poor plant was so root bound that no soil was visible, just a cylinder of dense roots.  Poor thing.  It got a larger pot and a good watering.  Today when I checked, it looked a bit more hydrated than when this picture was taken.  Hopefully it'll forgive me for torturing it so.

Currently, my entire  garden is a collection of messes where projects are underway.  The joy of the process is the thing, right?   Are you a tidy gardener?  Do you approach one project at a time, getting each one cleaned up before you start the next?  

15 comments:

  1. Despite being an organized, list-maker type person in some aspects, I am also easily distracted and drop a half-fiished project to do something else. Not so bad in the mid-summer garden but a bad habit in the spring garden. I made a list of the most critical things to do in order for this year. We'll see if that helps. Can't imagine repotting prickly plants. We had a cactus in our old garden but it lived in the ground year round.

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  2. You didn't mention gloves. Or wounds of any kind. There's no blood all over that table so it couldn't have been too bad. I've been known to upend a pot with a stuck agave, completely upside down and shaken it vigorously (usually to no avail). I have one Agave in a pot that I think will probably have to be broken to get it out now. I've been planning to repot it for about two years.

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  3. Kudos to you for persistence and dexterity. I'd have been tempted to just break the pot. Posts like this make me very glad I can plant my agaves in the ground. I'm sorry you can't!

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  4. I like to do one project at a time, all cleaned up before the next, yes. That way it is so much easier to be obsessive.

    Agaves are surprisingly tough, so yours will soon recover.

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  5. I'm sure your agave plants are thanking you right now for their new digs and a good drink.

    As to being a tidy gardener and finishing one project before starting another! That's not me, I tend to jump around here and there as I work.

    Happy Spring, Easter & Gardening ~ FlowerLady

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  6. I'm definitely a messy gardener, with lots of neglect going on, esp. with houseplants. The 'experts' suggest repotting every year, which NEVER happens, despite my good intentions. It is embarrassing, as I'm supposedly one of those 'experts.' ;) Alas, the cobbler's children have no shoes.

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  7. This looks like so much fun. I am a very messy gardener. I am also a bit scattered from time to time, especially during spring. So many projects and I want them all done right now. I think I hear your agaves shouting words of thanks for their new pots.

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  8. It will probably be no surprise to you that I am not a messy gardener, and I really like to finish one job before I start another. I'm kind of anal that way.
    I only have one agave, and I gave it's pups away. I love them but there's only so much room in Tom's greenhouse.

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  9. Kudos: You are a busy gardener, and you love what you do. It shows in your beautiful garden. That's what matters. I am a wannabe neat gardener, but I end up being messy. I've come to realize that sometimes messy is better--for wildlife and for human sanity. Tidiness has its place, too, though. I guess it's all about balance ... and self-forgiveness. ;-)

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  10. I do tend to finish a task before I start another, but my distracted gardener tendencies show themselves in the way I set out to take care of A, B and C...but end up ignoring them in favor of Y and Z. I always get something done, it’s just not always what I intended. Here’s to happy Agaves!

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  11. Messy is my middle name. I've come to terms with it.

    Great job on Mr Ripples. He'll thank you by growing three times as fast so you'll have to repeat this exercise next year. Agaves like to keep you on your toes.

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  12. I get distracted easily. So much to do and so little time. You have inspired me to clean my potting bench soon.

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  13. I am Mrs. Messy. There is always so much to do and a rush to get on with the next job. Well done on dealing with your agaves successfully.

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  14. I'm not a tidy, gardener, no. I'm usually covered in dirt after a day in the garden. Glamour is overrated.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.