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This year's new romance..

Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
in Plants
Agapanthus. Who's got some, what do you find makes them happy?

I've never grown them before, but read conflicting views about restricting the roots, so one is planted out, and one is in the border but still in the pot with the bottom cut off. Both in the sunniest beds, soil is standard Cotswolds alkaline with a little bit of clay here and there, and quite stony. I'll see how they go.
Any advice welcome!
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Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Slow-worm I grow a deciduous one, A. Navy Blue in the garden. It is fed once a week and watered. I water more often if things are really dry. Evergreens won't survive outside here.  It does grow next to a path in Clay soil, there are five clumps, the ones further back flower just as well. I think there is some truth to root restriction but that doesn't mean they like to grow in nothing. I n a pot next to a wall the tall ones still lean to the light.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Yes these are deciduous, the evergreens seemed a bit faff, lol, although they'd probably make it through winter here.
    Mine seem to be doing well so far, I really hope they flower.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Slow-worm I think flowering is also dependant on how big the clump is, sometimes it needs to bulk up before flowering. Some flower better than others no matter what you do.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    GardenerSuze said:
    @Slow-worm I think flowering is also dependant on how big the clump is, sometimes it needs to bulk up before flowering. Some flower better than others no matter what you do.
    Oh OK, thanks for that Suze. The clumps are about 8 inches in diameter and quite dense. I'm so excited about them, easily pleased an' all that! 😄
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    @Hostafan1 is the expert  :)

    I think the trick with them seems to be to water them and feed them well after they flower, so in the late summer and early autumn when it might be fairly dry. Seems to help them bulk up to flower better the next year. Mine are planted out, in clay soil but in a south facing bank so not too wet and nice and warm.

    Excuse the digger bucket, these are my late summer ones and the biggest of the three types I have.



    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm no expert, I've just go lots of them. ;)
    I disagree with the " rootbound " nonsense,but totally agree with @raisingirl about feeding and watering AFTER flowering.
    I have about 30 deciduous varieties in the ground and about 20 evergreen varieties in pots which go into the polytunnel in winter. 
    I left one outside this winter and it was fine here in Devon.

    Devon.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Agapanthus come from South Africa so a dry winter and wet summer is what they enjoy.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Ours have been in the garden for some years now and have no idea what they are apart from being deciduous. We never do anything apart from weeding around them. We don't feed or water them. They just grow and flower really well. We have divided one of them and moved it to the back of the bed as they always want to grow over the path and this clump has down really well. We have clay soil.
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Thanks everyone. 
    Raisingirl that's your garden, with the woodland path bit? 😲 😍
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    I need to ask for advice about one of my pots of them but will do it tomorrow when I can post a pic. I'm sure someone will have an answer.
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
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