The Agave Report May 2017, back garden

Yesterday we looked at the front garden Agaves, today we move to the back garden — photos from November 2016, interspersed photos from April 2016. Henceforth referred to as "then" and "now". We start with Agave weberi although some might take issue with that name I do believe it to be valid. Then...

And now. It did get moved (through great heroic effort by my husband) into the unheated garage during the worst of it. Those pups you see in the tanks on either side were in the basement for pretty much all of winter. They're now being rehomed to friends and planted out around the garden.

Agave bracteosa then...

And now...

And another, then...which I neglected to take a new photo of, but it is still alive and looking pretty much the same.

Here's one of the areas I refer to as an Agave burial mound, then...

There are so many Agaves crammed in here that I've lost track of what they all are, mostly because I never knew in he first place (still then)...

Now.

Looking closer...this one was bought as Agave 'Baccarat' (then)...

And now...

I believe the big guy is Agave neomexicana, then...

Now.

Pups around it, now...

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Another A. neomexicana (then)...

Now.

I've lost track of the ID on this one, if I ever knew it. It's just as well because it's now DEAD.


A couple more "now" photos from this same area. Agave striata...

And a sweet Opuntia polyacantha that took winter in stride...

This planting is next to the patio stairs, photo "then"...

And now...

All in all not bad, eh?

The worst thing that happened to the large Agave bracteosa (now)...

Is a wound inflected by its neighbor.

These guys all look pretty darn good (now)...

Agave 'Mateo' and an A. striata (then).

Another "then"...

And now.

A. striata (then)

And now — I think I'll be pulling this one, I just haven't gotten around to it it fell over and has since been removed.

I neglected to take an updated photo for this area. Pictured "then" left to right: Agave gentryi 'Jaws', a tiny barely visible A. parryi 'J.C. Raulston' pup as well as a couple of A. gracilipes you can't see at all, Agave striata, and on the far right either A. neomexicana or havardiana. If you were to see it now the A. gentryi 'Jaws' is gone, the A. parryi 'J.C. Raulston' pup is barely hanging on, the A. gracilipes are gone. Thankfully the Agave striata and A. neomexicana or havardiana are fine.

The A. 'Sharkskin' in a container, then. The A. victoriae-reginae on the far left was moved to the shade pavilion greenhouse before winter.

Now — this guy would have spent winter in place, with a cover. But since we could, we moved him into the unheated garage.

Mr. Big (Agave americana 'Variegata'), at the back, as well as the Dyckia, went into the "greenhouse" for winter. The A. ovatifolia wintered in place with cover (then)..

Now...

I am thrilled this guy looks this good. There was a moment, sometime in March I think, when I took his cover off and could see a strange yellow at the base of the leaves. Something I'd never seen before. Naturally I feared the worse, even though the arms felt solid. Turns out it was becasue the leaves (arms) had shrunk from lack of water.

Ha! Not a problem now that its cover has been off for a month.

Agave parryi var. couesii, the metal band is open at the bottom...(then)

And now...

And A. bracteosa, also with an open bottom, then...

And now...

So that concludes my Agave report, for spring 2017. I am both pleased that so many things are still alive, saddened that so many things are scarred, and a little worried about what the future holds. If record rainfall stops, and we have a hot summer, I think everything will be fine. If we have a no-show summer, well...who knows. Do I regret planting any of these? Hell no! I'd do it all again. In fact I've already started planting replacements. Carefully chosen ones of course...danger garden baby!

Weather Diary, May 18: Hi 71, Low 43/ Precip 0

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