Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The Agave Report, August 2012


Whoa, somehow I let months go by with no Agave Report, the last one was in April! Since we are in the midst of our sunny dry days this should be the best looking "in-ground" Agave Report of the year (or perhaps second best, we’ll see what September/October looks like). July brought us only .21” of rain and lots of sunny days in the high 70’s/80’s, but no 90’s. Crossing that milestone had to wait until last Saturday when we jumped right over the 90 degree mark and went all the way to 102!

I must admit as I was snapping photos there was a little voice saying “OMG…they’re growing so much! You planted them way too close!” Be that as it may, this is Portland, not Phoenix. Whatever beautiful growth they put on over the summer will likely be knocked back at least a little over the winter; just take a look at what last winter did to them! (Jan, Feb, April) Plus a few may not make it, who knows what winter 2012/13 will bring? And worst case scenario I just have to relocate a few...not really a big deal.

I started with the super star, Agave parryi 'J.C. Raulston' (above). As you may recall last winter didn’t faze it. And guess what…babies! Not one, not two, but FOUR!!! Yippee! Here they are, yes I’m such a proud parent (or is that grandparent?) that you get to see a picture of each of them…

In the spot vacated by last year’s single agave death (the dear departed A. americana 'Opal') I planted another 'J.C. Raulston'…

And when photographing it guess what caught my eye? Dear Opal may have passed on but it turns out she had a baby first…

A. ovatifolia…yes they are too close together, I know. Shoot me. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Here’s a better A. ovatifolia example…

A. Montana

A. bracteosa

A. americana, this is the initial trial plant, the one that’s been in the ground for 3 summers, 2 winters.

Here are its babies…

This one looked like sure death last winter, but it’s pulled through, sort of. It’s kind of misshapen…

And the third A. americana…

And it has 4 pups!

The other new agave additions to the front garden….a second A. bracteosa (yes that’s a small pup that I separated, planted nearby, and then managed to cut out of the picture!)…

This slightly sickly A. parryi var. parryi was relocated from the back garden to the front…it lost a few leaves in the process but is pulling through.

This one was rescued last January from the leftovers of the Cistus Parking Lot Sale (I believe that makes it twice rejected). It came with no label but it’s been tentatively identified as an Agave lechuguilla.

This funny looking little guy is a gift pup from the huge agave in this garden. I’ve got a second that hasn’t yet been planted in the ground.

A bit off topic, remember the little hybrid of Echinocereus triglochidiatus v. gonacanthus I bought at the desert garden in Yakima? It’s got 2 baby bumps!

Okay, to the back garden we go…

I planted a few A. bracteosa

A. Americana ‘variegata’ in the foreground with an unidentified blue agave behind it (I knew once upon a time...).

Agave neomexicana with an experimental Dyckia ‘Burgundy Ice’…

The other backyard planting…

These are pups separated from this year’s 'J.C. Raulston' before it was planted in the front garden. They’ve grown so much!

A. gentryi 'Jaws'

A. neomexicana

A. Americana ‘variegata’

And another A. neomexicana, this one lived through last winter in my garden but was relocated to a new spot this spring…

So that’s how my "in-ground" Agaves are doing as we begin August…I have a feeling I’ll be looking back on this post in January and fondly remembering how happy we all were in the sun…

(these three get pulled and over-winter elsewhere…so they aren’t officially part of the "Agave Report"…)

23 comments:

  1. Wowzers!!!! That is sooo wonderfully amazing! I really like just the plain agave americana. I considered planting a few of them this year but missed the jump on it. Your JC Raulston are really stunning too. I'm so happy that one was unfazed. I had a little mystery agave that took winter in a terrible location without any complaints. So it got moved to an improved full sun, better drainage position in celebration. I still am at a loss for how big those agaves have gotten!!! amazing!!!

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    1. So many people are always commenting on the A. americana not being hardy, I wonder...

      Thank you for doing an Agave report too!

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  2. J.C. Raulston is gorgeous. I'm learning a lot from your reports. Simplistic as it seems, I never really noticed the range of agaves because they were so common to me.

    I'm adding a neomexicana to my garden next time I find one.

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    1. That makes sense Shirley, I'll never forget hearing the Texan's ohh'ing and ahh'ing over Conifers at the garden bloggers fling last summer. Boring! (because they are so common to me). It makes me happy to think that you're giving Agaves a second glance now and that I might have anything to do with it is fabulous!

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  3. Very nice -- I like JC Raulston's look! Do you have a post about your soil for these guys? I'm starting to think about where to plant my specimens, and I'll need some soil prep tips as I know clay is certain death this winter.

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    1. I've mentioned it in a few posts but nothing specifically on that subject. I mix in either chicken grit or pumice with the native clay soil. My goal is to be able to squeeze a moist fist-full and if it breaks apart when I open my hand then it's good. If it stays in a ball then I know I need to add more. Chicken grit is ideal if you're working in an area that you won't be putting a gravel much over. Why? Because it stays in the soil. The pumice works it's way to the surface and looks horrible (dandruff). The other important factor is to build up the soil level from the surrounding area, so water runs away from the plant and the roots. Also tipping the plant a bit is important so that any moisture that falls doesn't collect around the crown but runs off. Hope that helped!

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    2. Tip the plant to help it drain...I never thought of that. Great advice, thanks, Loree!

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  4. Hi Loree, You are SO doing something right! All of the babies popping up is a testament to your labor of live. All of your Agaves are amazing, of course but I'm really fond of A. gentryi 'Jaws'and where you have it planted. I have a feeling in a few years, it will be the only gem in that spot. Here's to more mild winters!

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    1. Thank you Grace, I would LOVE it if Mr Jaws took over that planting area...that would be so cool! If he ever has a pup can I interest you in it?

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  5. Totally awesome.......I'm speechless on your varieties that you have planted out, I'm amazed.

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    1. We'll see if you're still amazed come February.

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  6. Beautiful agaves! This winter is supposed to be warmer and drier than usual so maybe they'll double in size by this time next year!

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  7. Beautiful collection! I never get tired of looking at agave photos.

    I'm surprised (and happy for you) that your JC Raulston had babies. Aren't they supposed to be solitary?

    My haul from our Southwest trip includes an Agave neomexicana and also an Echinocereus triglochidiatus v. gonacanthus (aka 'White Sands' claret cup). I hope they'll do as well in my garden as they have in yours.

    Your 'Jaws' is a standout!

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    1. I had read that about 'JC' but then the container of the one I bought this spring was positively full of them...so I guess not?

      I have no doubt your new plants are gonna love your garden!

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  8. A nice round up and progress report of a beautiful collection! I bought a few more Agave parryi this year seeing how beautiful they are once they get bigger (and they don't get very huge too which is a bonus!). You're right in your approach, taking into account that in colder locations like yours (and ours...compared to Phoenix that is) they grow slower and get knocked back to varying degrees in winter, planting them closer together than ideal is not a bad idea at all (they are in a garden setting after all, where you don't want too large gaps!).

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    1. Thank you for agreeing with my planting logic. I'll never forget after I posted early on (2009) about some Agaves I had bought online and a rep from that company blasted me about having planted them too close together. She failed to listen to the part about me not living in the desert SW. They all died that winter too.

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  9. Really impressed to see the A. ovatifolia planted out. I just didn't realize it might take our winters. It's one of my more recent acquisitions, so it's staying in a pot for now, but next year...?

    Nice roundup, and the perfect time for it! Agave weather is my kind of weather - I expect I'll be a little less robust around January and February myself.

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    1. I've only planted out smaller ones that I wouldn't be upset (well...too upset) if I lost. The big one is staying right in a container where I can keep it safe!

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  10. Im not sure about that designation of A. lechuguilla. Does it have any striping? Mine looks much different.

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    1. No striping...and I wondered the same thing. I have another that I bought with the A. lechuguilla label and there are serious stripes. I should ask Mr. Hogan...he'll know!

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    2. I don't think all lechuguillas are striped. Yours looks like lechuguilla to me but it's often hard to positively ID agaves when they're small.

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    3. Would you believe after reading this post yesterday, I went out to check on all my agaves, and the lechuguilla has a pup!

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