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Agapanthus advice please

AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
in Plants
I have a pot of (deciduous) Agapanthus - about 4 years old. I re-potted it in Year 2 and Year 4 (last year) but no flowers last year. I have now checked it and the pot is split so I’ll need to re-pot but I have a few questions…
1. Shall I divide it?
2. Is it common to have a no-show on flowers after re-potting?
3. Will that likely mean no flowers again this year? 
4. Any other advice please eg. soil mix.

Thank you folks. 

My garden and I live in South Wales. 
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Posts

  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    I divided our agapanthus last autumn, after flowering. Intended to split it into four, but instead found myself with nine sections. 

    Several of these have died over winter - and I mean REALLY gone. The couple I have left, I do not expect to flower this year. It always was a long-term plan. If they DO produce any flowers, then I will be very surprised - but grateful.

    But to answer your questions.

    1. I believe it is best to divide the plant immediately after flowering.

    2. I would expect no flowers after repotting, as you lose a lot of the roots in the process.

    3. Maybe.

    4. Poor soil, not fresh compost. Stony.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    @AuntyRach, no I wouldn't divide it again. If you put it carefully into a new pot about the same size or just a little bigger and feed it, hopefully it might produce flowers this year in your sunniest spot. 

    I'm in the same position, my evergreen ones nearly died on me but now have a few healthy looking leaves so I'll feed them soon (tomato food will do) and cross my fingers!

    Did you know you can get a special adhesive to mend broken pots? It's rather messy to do but it works.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I divided mine in March last year and they flowered but possibly not as well. Tomati feed once a week through until the end of autumn seems to be the answer. I grow 'Navy Blue' which flowers really well.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    I always divide mine in late summer/early autumn, repot and overwinter in a cold greenhouse and they generally flower pretty well the following summer.  Not reliably hardy for me in the ground in my Sussex garden.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
    Thank you @rowlandscastle444, @Lizzie27, @GardenerSuze , @Redwing. 

    Ok I’ll carefully re-pot in some spent compost with good drainage and see what happens and maybe divide next year 🤞🏼

    I might buy another one just in case 😉
    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    When dividing Agapanthus it is worth while waiting for 24 hours before repotting. The roots are very fleshy and can rot if replanted straight away. Interestingly I saw large chunks of them for sale at a GC a few days ago. It wasn't a nursery but part of a chain, it was a suprise to see them for sale in that way.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Agapanthus, in my experience, sulk for a year after repotting.  Apparently ythey like to be root-bound.  I usually do this job early in the year befor there are lots of new shoots to be damaged by all the tipping-out and cutting-up.

    It seems silly to use spent compost when the main reasons for rpotting is to refresh the fertility.  It is also bad hygiene.

    As you might read elsewhere, I have lost all my agapanthus this year.  They have been happy for years overwintering in pots outside but moved close to the house, and the top growth left for some protection.  Not winter 2022-23.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    I have a feeling I’ve lost all mine too. No sign of any growth. I’m trying to sum up the courage for a rootle but currently telling myself it’s best to leave them undisturbed 🙄
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We lost ours this Winter.  We bought them 20 years ago, so very sad.  Never known a winter where we lost so many plants.  We won’t replace like with like, so there won’t be any more Agapanthus in our garden.  Sounds like lots of people are in a similar situation. 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Not me.  I will rebuild my collection.  I would not now have rhodendrons if I had listened in 1976.

    Not the evergreens, their place in the winter greenhous will be taken by the "hardies".

    My advice to Newbies after summer 22 and winter 22-23 is:  don't repeat what failed.

    My advice to the more experienced is:  try, try, try again,
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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