Agave

Yuccas and agave planting techniques are the same. In Mediterranean climates with mild winters the timing of planting is not that critical. *Care must be taken to provide adequate watering during establishment of plant.

In hot climates where the winters are mild a fall planting is best, but if planted in the spring, plants must be carefully watered and sheltered from the how summer rays to prevent sunburn and stress. In colder climates spring planting is best.

Well drained soil to prevent roots from rot is best for most yuccas. There are some they tolerate cold, wet, tighter soils. The yucca can be easily rotted by too much organic material and clay soils. If you are in an area of tight and clay soils a raised bed is best suited for planting yuccas. An amendment of sand, crushed bricks and gravel will aid in the drainage. Successful plantings in humid climates from North Carolina to Massachusetts indicate that the yuccas can tolerate life with proper care outside their native habitats.

Moving agaves from site to site is no problem. Dig a hole and put it into another hole. If the new location is sunnier than the last an artificial shade should be made to eliminate the sunburn of the agave for the first year. Place a stone or rocks at the base of your agave during extreme hot summers. This will provide just a bit of moisture to accumulate under the stones and eliminate stress on the plant. If planted under a tree make sure you periodically remove the fallen seeds, leaves or any debris from the agave. If it is not removed the debris will decompose on the leaf and cause lesions and infection in the plant and could result in death.

Watering agaves depends on type of plant, light it gets and temperature. Agaves are succulents and do not grow when cold. They require warmth to grow and they very rarely grow when it is over 106°F. Because they are succulents they are able to store water for future use. It is better to water agaves like other desert plants with a good soaking about twice a month.