Agapanthus

What does Agapanthus need to make it happy? I bought a pot in bloom, planted it in a bed and have had nice evergreen foliage but not one bud since.

The plants are hardy here. I see them in other folks yards and as landscape plantings. The plant is in a location that gets full sun from noon till about 4 and dappled sun/shade before and after. The foliage looks great and the lilies and iris planted near it bloom well. The soil is sandy loam.

Suggestions? Commiseration?

Beth

How recently did you plant it? Mine is still in a pot and it only delivers blooms once a year. I don't know if there are variations that bloom more frequently. I will be watching to see if you get any advice that I can borrow... : ) Thx pod

It was planted 4 years ago. You would think it would be settled in by now, huh?

Beth

Sheez ~ I guess! Do others in your area grow it? Does the foliage looks good? I wonder if these bulbs can be sidedressed with a bloom booster for bulbs.

They only bloom once a year. In our area, right about....now.

No amount of fertilizer, water, sun/no-sun, will change that. Sorry!

Jkom ~ I think it was only blooming when put in ground four years ago. If I understood correctly it hasn't bloomed since. Any thoughts?

My agapanthus didn't bloom the last two summers. I put them in 6 years ago. I was going to pull them up and decided to dump everything I had on them first. I used epsom salt, bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, and alfalfa tea. I now have one bloom. I think if I had put everything on earlier in the spring they might have bloomed more. I'm going to keep feeding this year, for next years blooms. Sorry I could be of more help. At least you know none of the above will kill them.

My agapanthus didn't bloom the last two summers. I put them in 6 years ago. I was going to pull them up and decided to dump everything I had on them first. I used epsom salt, bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, and alfalfa tea. I now have one bloom. I think if I had put everything on earlier in the spring they might have bloomed more. I'm going to keep feeding this year, for next years blooms. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. At least you know none of the above will kill them.

I love the combination you doctored with... I wonder if only one of those items was the magic bullet which one it would be...

Mine hasn't indicated blooms yet but I'll have to look back. I think it bloomed later in the summer for me. Of course it may be a different variety too.

Pod, mine usually blooms in July. The weather has jump started a lot of things here. I not complaining, it's been a really nice Spring.

And I looked back in my records last night and found it bloomed here last year at the end of May, beginning of June. This morning I need to look closer at the plant. LOL

This message was edited Jun 1, 2007 6:21 AM

Lets us know, Pod. I certainly hope it's not a non blooming epidemic!

I'd try more sun, and less fertilizers. Fertilizers build leaves, not flowers. Agapanthus blooms better under stress, like many plants.

It's a full-sun plant here in Northern CA, which means all-day sun everywhere else. Also, the bloom starts as our winter rains taper off to nothing, which may also 'trigger' blooming time to the plant.

There are 31 of these listed in Plant Files. I think this is the one I have, but not sure: I planted one in my front yard about 3 years ago, after having it in a pot for a couple of years. It always bloomed with a blue flower until this year when it was white with just a tinge of blue! I have a couple more planted in my back yard and they are blooming blue. The blooms seem to be fading right now, but I'm hoping they will bloom again. Usually they bloom off and on all summer! I have never fertilized mine. The one in the front yard is on the East side of the house and gets morning sun until about noon and the ones in the back yard (West Side of house) get hot afternoon sun most all day! They both seem to spread and are large plants. The ones in my backyard I bought at Wal-Mart last year in gal size pots. Originally planted two of them and they have more than doubled in size since last summer when I got them.

Here's the PF Link:

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/139/index.html

Here's a pic of one in my back yard:









edited to say: This photo is from last year. I will go out tomorrow and get a pic of them as they look now.

This message was edited Jun 1, 2007 8:21 PM

Just went outside and took a pic of the one in my front yard. This is the one that was a medium/dark blue flower and all of a sudden this year it's more white: This bloom is fading, but aha! I see a new bud down there! Yay!

No buds here... my Agapanthus stays in a pot but in full sun. Excellent color to the foliage and no I don't fertilize. We have had some rains so maybe when it dries out????

Each year in the early spring I fertilize once with Osmocote. Other than that, they don't receive any particular care. They receive full sun until about noon, then afternoon shade from an oak tree. I have several varieties and some bloom a little earlier than others. These are about 4 years old.

Turtle_35206,

Try fertilizer that has a high middle number, like Color Burst (From Homey Don't ya Know Me) and if you can find it - trace elements (aka essential minors). Keeping the nitrogen low or time released helps. Feeding them in mid summer only also keeps the leaf growth to a minimum. They bloom best when crowded.

Epcot has 'em>

Thanks to all for advice. I will move it to a sunnier location and enrich its diet a bit.

Beth

It has been my luck that NOTHING kills these guys. Trust me I have tried. However I am told that my area is PERFECT for them. I have had many many many, they always bloom. I am sure it just has to do with your location. Honestly I have poured Round-Up on it and it won't die.