The non-flowering Agapanthus and I have had a little chat. I have pointed out their current advantages: premium position in the garden, regular water supply, Osmocote on demand, attractive glazed blue pot. We have recalled the excellent performance last year but agreed that this year other plants such as the noble Hosta deserve promotion to the attractive glazed blue pot. I have outlined the options which include demotion to a plain terracotta pot or removal to a less prominent place in the garden and the ultimate sanction which is to be chopped into smaller pieces and distributed among several pots. The idle Agapanthus has been warned.
A measured, just course of action.
ReplyDeleteAppraisal and setting objectives is definitely the most effective way to manage recalcitrant plants.
DeleteMine were totally out of order last year, so this year they were removed from the pot, chopped into quarters and planted out. Two of the clumps have reluctantly agreed to send out flower heads. (Nice pelargonium by the way.)
ReplyDeleteYou are my Agapanthus guru and if you say it's OK to chop it up I don't feel so beastly.
DeleteThe Pelargonium is a miniature 'Pac Randy' - I love the raspberry ripple colours.
It has to be said that with 'all the bright day', an element of severity has become apparent that wasn't nearly so evident in the coffee cakes and geographers' trips of yore...! Diktynna
ReplyDeletePerhaps gardening brings out the worst in me. A worrying thought.
DeleteNo, I think it's why your garden is objectively lovely while ours is probably only lovely in our eyes...! x
DeleteMy potted agapanthus was looking like it wasn't going to flower at all this year (the number of flowers had been dwindling over the years) so a few weeks ago I took it to the allotment intending to chop it into quarters with my spade. But I didn't get round to it and it was left in its pot in a very sunny spot and occasionally watered with dilute comfrey tea. Would you believe it suddenly grew about 15 flower buds so I brought it home reprieved. Interestingly it has been seeding itself around at home and the most successful flowering seedlings are those growing in gravel next to the water butt which overflows when full, leading me to suggest that agapanthus like well-drained but moist conditions in full sun and an occasional feed with comfrey tea.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful advice - thank you! I must admit that I think that the problem is that the pot was not in full sun. The leaves are healthy but there are no flower buds and so I have moved it to the brightest part of the garden to try and force the flowers. I don't have access to comfrey tea but have given it a slurp of Miracle-Gro and will keep my fingers crossed.
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