Forum home› Plants

Calling all Agapanthus Aficionados

happycottontailhappycottontail Posts: 394
in Plants

I bought 3 small Agapanthus Arctic Star plants in 9cm pots at the Harrogate Show last week.  As yet I don't know where I'm going to plant them in the garden, as I'm still working on the planting design/painting the fence/digging over the soil.  So it could be a few weeks (months?) before I'm able to introduce them to their new home.  But their roots are already bursting out of their pots, so should I pot them on into larger pots in the meantime?  I think I read somewhere that they don't like being moved, but perhaps that's when they are bigger. All advice welcomed!

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,055

    Yes, if it's going to be a month or more before you plant them out then I'd pot them on if I were you.  But don't overpot them, they do like to feel snug.  It'd be worth while remembering that when you're planning their permanent home. Some people find it useful to sink them into the bed still in their pot so they still feel  snug. image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • butterflybrainbutterflybrain Posts: 22

    I would definately  pot them on, 1 litre should be ok.  They will flower better if they are pot bound so I have always grown in containers.  (Not terracotta because the plants will crack them as they become more restricted.)  Experimented with planting in garden with no success.  So its containers in a sunny position well fed and watered throughout the summer and moved to a cold greenhouse in winter.  The bigger plants can be left outside if in a  sheltered position (against house wall) and maybe a bit of fleece if really bad weather forcast.  Hope this helps.image  PS I'm no expert but this works for me!

  • Woodgreen wonderboyWoodgreen wonderboy Posts: 2,322

    I grow mine in pots . I have 2 large glazed pots, each with 7 plants. They stay out all winter with a bin liner over them as the only protection. They have survived now for many (7/8?) years, and in the summer each pot has about 50 flowers. They must be really congested by now but so far, fingers crossed there is no sign of problems or reduced flowering.The varieties with the thinnest leaves are the hardiest, so my wider leaved (white) ones are given more protection in the winter by moving into the greenhouse. They seed around into the gravel drive they sit on and it is easy to prise them up and pot them on. They have strong roots and get away easily. 

    Grow them in nice pots for this year, see how you get on with them and then decide what you want to do with them for the future. You may decide to stick with the pot option. Enjoy.

  • chickychicky Posts: 10,393

    I'm the same - grow them in pots so I can keep the roots congested, but also bring them in to cold GH for the winter. I also feed weekly with tomato food from about now.

  • happycottontailhappycottontail Posts: 394

    There was a Specialist Nurseries Plant Fair at Harlow Carr today, so I trogged along, and who should be there but Mr Agapanthus himself - big Steve, from whom I'd bought my plants a week ago!  He said I should pot them on into 6" pots, then when I'm ready to put them in the garden, I should cut the bottoms off the pots and bury them pots and all into the earth "as they like to be snug". That may be  anew idea for you WW, tho' I'm sure yours must look magnificent in their pots.

    Chicky, I also bought some special Agapanthus food from him which is much higher in potash than tomato food apparently.

Sign In or Register to comment.