I’ve never before separated my Agave americana pups, I think because I’ve suffered from the delusion that if left in place they’d magically grow into a fierce spiky patch, like seen in the Southwest. Instead they turn mushy and die over the winter. After almost losing my “big” (don’t laugh, they’re big for Portland!) A. americanas last winter I vowed to not repeat that mistake again. Why not take advantage of the insurance nature is providing me?
I cut away the two furthest from mom, I just couldn’t bring myself to mess with the one snugged up against her.
There was another on the other side…
Got that one too, but left the two guys on the upper right in the photo above. They are just too tiny.
Here’s the other big A. americana…
I am thrilled these guys are both looking so good after I thought I’d lost them.
This one's got a few pups too...
Here’s the harvest, 8 new plants…
This one came out sans the roots, hopefully it will make it.
I love that plants so small still have wicked teeth and their imprints on the leaves.
All potted up to be protected and grow on over winter.
Of course we’ve still got a week of summer left and nice long sunny warm autumn ahead too! (see, I’m slowing coming to terms with it…)
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
You got nice ones with roots and all. I hate when you end up with no roots (like the one on the bottom right). They're not necessarily a lost cause but I find the fatality rate is much higher.
ReplyDeleteYa I almost just tossed that one but then thought "what the heck" it might make it.
DeleteLook at the babies!!!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteNothing like plant shopping in your own front yard...
DeleteSo sweet that you're gathering your grandchildren in to keep them dry for the winter. Any scars?
ReplyDeleteMushy grandchildren aren't good for anybody! No scars, it was an easy operation.
DeleteI just harvested a crop of Aloe pups but they were all snuggled in close. That line from Billy Boy kept running through my brain: "she's a young thing and cannot leave her mother". Mad me feel like an evil stepmother.
ReplyDeleteHA, I see you've adopted the double ii, love it! Will you think less of me if I admit to not knowing what Billy Boy is?
DeleteYour youth is showing. It's an old song that goes "Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy? Can she bake a cherry pie, charming Billy?..."
DeleteI love pup time of year, finding out what has offset, especially the firsts.
ReplyDeleteSo you're a regular de-pupper?
DeleteThey actually look good planted together in a dish like that. They'll considerably bulk up over the winter, hopefully they won't serve as replacements ever but just as spares :)
ReplyDeleteYes, just spares. I hope I gave them enough room, it's so much easier to have them all together though rather than a bunch of small containers.
DeleteI really love Agave pups. kind of like kittens very cute but they can really bite and scratch
ReplyDeleteYes, well put Deanne!
Deletewhat is the soil mix that you use for them?
ReplyDeleteI'm too lazy/cheap to buy anything special so it's just regular potting soil with what ever grit I have on hand mixed in (70/30 soil to grit). The grit can be pumice, chicken grit, perlite...
DeleteI love the imprints on the leaves. And I´m sure the one without roots will grow roots fast.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right. I've broken off dyckia pups with no roots like that (accidentally) and they grew roots easily enough.
DeleteIt looks like a good haul! Did you come through the process unscathed?
ReplyDeleteJust fine! They were far enough away from mom, and small enough, that it wasn't really much of a chore.
DeleteMommie Dearest ...
ReplyDeleteWho me?
DeleteHaha, you got me with that title. I did a little "huh?" to myself. Then I thought maybe your tomatoes were ready. Our A. americanas look so different to each other's. I know there can be a lot of variation within species but boy, I wish mine were stumpy and wide leaved like that. I also cut off a lot of pups a few weeks ago (they have offset like crazy) and pulled one off without roots (I may have stopped caring at a point). I stuck it in soil and we shall see what happens!
ReplyDeleteNobody ever believes me that they are A. americanas! I think it's our climate. I brought them back from my in-laws in New Mexico, they were pups from their huge (and normal looking) plants. As I was digging I wondered if getting rid of these would make the mama plants produce more, hope so!
DeleteCute little pups, and cute little (big) mama plant. I'm glad you have your agave insurance.
ReplyDelete