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Agapanthus

TurtledancerTurtledancer Posts: 9
in Problem solving
My Agapanthus got frozen in my greenhouse, leaves went soggy. No life until a few days ago, and only one green shoot. Should I lift and cut the dead bits out, or leave well alone?
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Posts

  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    I'm quite new to agapanthus, but I'd leave it for now and see what happens. Two of mine have really struggled this year too, I'm just making sure they're fed and watered and hopefully they'll catch up with themselves at some point. 
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Leave it alone. Keep it watered but no more food until the flower buds appear, if they do!
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    The opposite advice from me.  

    It happened to mine, evergreens in the unheated greenhouse and several varieties of deciduous left close to the house.

    I had one small shoot from each type.  I composted all the evergreen - too much seasonal hard work- and replanted just the growing part of the deciduous in a smaller pot of fresh peat-like compost.  It needs you to clean up all the rot and special care & attention.

    As it happened I found some of the same variety coming up in my compost heap from last autumn's repotting.  I am nursing that back as well.
     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."
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Oh! I shouldn't be feeding now then? I thought I had to feed through the growing season, don't know where I got that from.. 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    More food is not the answer to human problems,  nor plant problems.

    When they are over the worst you may start feeding again.  But I question the value of this.
     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."
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Slow-worm I feed Agapanthus once a week from early May to late September. I use tomato feed slightly diluted.
    Last year I had ten flowers but 2021 fifty on three plants
    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! Magnificent!
    So I'm alright feeding now, that's good to know - I want 50 flowers! 😄 
    Isn't it odd that it can take half a lifetime to discover certain plants, or just suddenly fall in love with them. 
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    bédé said:
    More food is not the answer to human problems,  nor plant problems.

    When they are over the worst you may start feeding again.  But I question the value of this.
    Depends how hungry you are! 
    I rarely feed anything as a rule,  but the general consensus of more experienced growers here, seems to be that feeding agapanthus is beneficial, so I'm happy going along with that.
    I think the Tomorite bottle I'm near the end of is about 7 years old. 😄
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Slow-worm I do grow just A Navy Blue which is one of the most reliable for flowering. Feeding after flowering is also critical.
    Did you see that A Black Jack was the winner of' plant of the year' at Chelsea. Said to be a repeat flowerer.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    I had 4 different agapanthus which have all flowered really well for many years.
    Not any longer  :(

    All where in large pots, kept dry, and overwintered in an unheated greenhouse. 
    Minus 13C for several days in a row in December appears to have killed them. All had mushy roots and are now in the compost bay.

    I won't try and grow them again ... and will miss them.
    But a chance to try something else.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
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