I was given two medium-sized Agave plants. Looks like they were just
cut off the main plant. Anything special I need to do when planting?
What kind of conditions do they like? I'm assuming desert-like, but
welcome your advice. Also, should I assume that they are slow-
growing?

Tx for any help.

HB

Very well drained soil based compost with around 1/3 added sharp sand.
Put some slow release fertiliser such as growmore, and let dry out between waterings.
They need full sun and cannot tolerate frost for any length of time so it would be better to find a frost free place for them in the winter, during which time they should be left dry and unwatered to prevent rotting.

They are pretty easy to grow, just don't overwater!!! that's the main thing!

On Jun 29, 11:44*am, Drobium
wrote:
Higgs Boson;928046 Wrote:

I was given two medium-sized Agave plants. *Looks like they were just
cut off the main plant. Anything special I need to do when planting?
What kind of conditions do they like? *I'm assuming desert-like, but
welcome your advice. *Also, should I assume that they are slow-
growing?

Tx for any help.

HB

Very well drained soil based compost with around 1/3 added sharp sand.
Put some slow release fertiliser such as growmore, and let dry out
between waterings.
They need full sun and cannot tolerate frost for any length of time so
it would be better to find a frost free place for them in the winter,
during which time they should be left dry and unwatered to prevent
rotting.

They are pretty easy to grow, just don't overwater!!! that's the main
thing!

Thanks, pal. We don't have frost -- this is So Calif coastal -- a
Mediterranean climate. Trust me, anything I don't have to water a lot
is welcome; water is very expensive in this (basically desert) area.
Mywater bill shoots up dramatically come June.

Temps do not go below 40-ish at night at the "coldest" portion of the
"winter". So I assume I can just leave them in the ground, awaiting
the Spring?

"Sharp sand", I never heard the term before. Here's what I found:

Sharp sand, also known as builders' sand, refers to sand that has a
gritty texture. This type of sand is often mixed with concrete for a
number of different construction applications. Sharp sand can also be
added to soil in order to create potting soil or to loosen clay soil.
In most instances, this type of sand is made from ground quartz rocks.

On occasion, clay and iron may be mixed with quartz rocks in order to
create a sharper type of sand. Landscapers and construction workers
may use these shards as a base for laying pavement, mixing mortar,
dressing lawns, and smoothing floors. Sharp sand also fills most
hourglasses, since it is coarse enough to flow through the glass, but
fine enough to fit through the connecting portion of an hourglass.

While sharp sand is not ideal for any kind of play area, it is perfect
for most garden spaces. Sharp sand allows garden soil to drain with
ease, which is not the case with fine sand. Since sand that has jagged
edges will not prevent water from passing through it, this kind of
sand is often the sand of choice amongst professional gardeners".

Wonder if I really need this? My soil is "locker" -- a German word
for loose and friable -- after decades of conditioning the original
alkaline clay with amendments.

My usual transplant mix is: Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

* Our city periodically offers free compost on a come & get it basis.
Lovely, dark, fine stuff. I usually take home 3-4 bags worth.

HB



--
Drobium

Higgs Boson wrote:
....
My usual transplant mix is: Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

perlite? fluffed up silicon.


* Our city periodically offers free compost on a come & get it basis.
Lovely, dark, fine stuff. I usually take home 3-4 bags worth.

i wish i could trust it to be clean
enough. lately i'm only taking organics
from people i know.


songbird

On Jul 3, 6:22*am, songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

...

My usual transplant mix is: *Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

* perlite? *fluffed up silicon.

Yup -blanked out on that one!

* Our city periodically offers free compost on a come & get it basis.
Lovely, dark, fine stuff. I usually take home 3-4 bags worth.

* i wish i could trust it to be clean enough. *lately i'm only taking organics
from people i know.

I do take your point. But so far, no untoward consequences from City
compost. This is a fairly "green" city, so I'd like to hope they
wouldn't include **** in their composing process. If you live in a
city that might be r esponsive to the idea, maybe suggest that they do
the same. Could be they haven't thought of it.

Ours also offers, periodically, heavy-duty shredding, for massive
amounts of documents --much more than even a powerful home/office
shredder could handle.
(Note to self: Great to keep this stuff out of landfills, but I must
call the City and ask what they do with the shredded results...)

HB

HB

* songbird

In article
,
Higgs Boson wrote:

On Jul 3, 6:22*am, songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

...

My usual transplant mix is: *Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

* perlite? *fluffed up silicon.

Yup -blanked out on that one!

Vermiculite ?

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden

http://honest-food.net/

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Higgs Boson wrote:
...
My usual transplant mix is: Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

perlite? fluffed up silicon.


* Our city periodically offers free compost on a come & get it basis.
Lovely, dark, fine stuff. I usually take home 3-4 bags worth.

i wish i could trust it to be clean
enough. lately i'm only taking organics
from people i know.


songbird

She may want to look at
Propagating Agaves
http://www.phgmag.com/garden/desert/200805/propagating-agaves/
--
- Billy

Mad dog Republicans to the right. Democratic spider webs to the left. True conservatives, and liberals not to be found anywhere in the phantasmagoria
of the American political landscape.

America is not broke. The country is awash in wealth and cash.
It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the
greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks
and the portfolios of the uber-rich.
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/.../michael-moore
/michael-moore-says-400-americans-have-more-wealth-/

In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:

In article
,
Higgs Boson wrote:

On Jul 3, 6:22*am, songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

...

My usual transplant mix is: *Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

* perlite? *fluffed up silicon.

Yup -blanked out on that one!

Vermiculite ?

Gardening in the rain today, Bill? We had 3/4" of rain Tue./Wed. Today
it is 103F.

"Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get"
- Mark Twain
--
- Billy

Mad dog Republicans to the right. Democratic spider webs to the left. True conservatives, and liberals not to be found anywhere in the phantasmagoria
of the American political landscape.

America is not broke. The country is awash in wealth and cash.
It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the
greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks
and the portfolios of the uber-rich.
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/.../michael-moore
/michael-moore-says-400-americans-have-more-wealth-/

On Jul 3, 1:33*pm, Bill who putters wrote:
In article
,
*Higgs Boson wrote:

On Jul 3, 6:22 am, songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

...

My usual transplant mix is: Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

perlite? fluffed up silicon.

Yup -blanked out on that one!

Vermiculite ?

That, too. I was never clear on the diff. between them, other than
perlite is white and vermiculite is gray. /?

HB

--
Bill *S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden

http://honest-food.net/

Higgs Boson wrote:
songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

...

My usual transplant mix is: Â*Regular dirt, compost*, worm castings,
ammonium sulfate, and that white stuff-- name escapes me-- that makes
space in the soil.

Â* perlite? Â*fluffed up silicon.

Yup -blanked out on that one!



* Our city periodically offers free compost on a come & get it basis.
Lovely, dark, fine stuff. I usually take home 3-4 bags worth.

Â* i wish i could trust it to be clean enough. Â*lately i'm only taking organics
from people i know.

I do take your point. But so far, no untoward consequences from City
compost. This is a fairly "green" city, so I'd like to hope they
wouldn't include **** in their composing process. If you live in a
city that might be r esponsive to the idea, maybe suggest that they do
the same. Could be they haven't thought of it.

this was stuff purchased so aside from
telling the folks that their compost was
horrible and i wouldn't ever get more from
them because of it, i don't have any other
recourse.

my concerns are not only about doggy
poo, but also about lawn chemicals etc
that people use and then get picked up
by the mower or rake and then get put
at the curb... i really don't want any
more of that stuff in my gardens than
what already blows in on the wind.


Ours also offers, periodically, heavy-duty shredding, for massive
amounts of documents --much more than even a powerful home/office
shredder could handle.
(Note to self: Great to keep this stuff out of landfills, but I must
call the City and ask what they do with the shredded results...)

they may compost it or burn it. eventually
they might even be able to process the
cellulose and get alcohol from it. i know
the process is being investigated. i'd
like that a lot better than using corn.

i have a medium duty shredder and
use it on paper, cardboard and cardstock --
carefully torn apart so it doesn't jam and
i make sure to keep an eye on the combs so
they don't get gummed up and break. it is
working very well so far.

i take all this as use it in the worm
bins and as a mulch on some gardens. the
fertilizer factory is at about 700lbs of
worms/soil in the bins now and they provide
about 20lbs a week of prime garden soil
and hundreds of worms for the gardens.

with reusing paper, cardboard and cardstock,
and the recycling of plastics, metals and
glass there's not a whole lot of actual trash
being set out now, and i like that a lot.


songbird

Higgs Boson wrote:
Bill who puttputts:

Vermiculite ?

That, too. I was never clear on the diff. between them, other than
perlite is white and vermiculite is gray. /?

i think vermiculite is a processed
mica product (which used to be noted
as containing traces of asbestos).
i don't know if they've changed the
sources/process in recent years to
take care of that concern or not so
best to look into it if you use a lot
of it and are breathing the dust.

also for perlite as silicon dust
isn't the best for the lungs either.


songbird

On Jul 3, 8:14*pm, songbird wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
Bill who puttputts:
Vermiculite ?

That, too. *I was never clear on the diff. between them, other than
perlite is white and vermiculite is gray. /?

* i think vermiculite is a processed
mica product (which used to be noted
as containing traces of asbestos).
i don't know if they've changed the
sources/process in recent years to
take care of that concern or not so
best to look into it if you use a lot
of it and are breathing the dust.

* also for perlite as silicon dust
isn't the best for the lungs either.

* songbird

Very helpful, tx. Will check it out.

HB