Hello, I'm going to mail agapanthus for a trade and need to know how it's done right. The bulbs are not in flower, but do have lots of leaves. Should I send them bare-root, as you would an iris, or in dirt. Also, is it ok to send them now or during dormancy? Thanks for any help with this.
need shipping tips please
i would send them bare root
Thank you ma'am :)
plantgeek, are aggies winter hardy for you? I've started a couple of varieties from seed, which I definitely keep indoors for the first couple of winters, but I'm curious how they'll deal with our winters if protected.
Typically shipping dormant plants gives better results.
Hey gemini_sage, I've never let them stay ouside during winter, so I have no idea about winter hardiness. You could give it a try, acclimate them slowly and see what happens.
Sounds like something to be researched. Hmm...wonder if you could hybridize them to be cold hardy. Off the top of my wee little head, I would be cautious about letting them get wet during dormancy if kept outdoors.
OK. you've got my curiosity up. To the bat cave!
And thanks for the tip.
Ah, good to know they can be grown as tender perennials here. I plan to keep some in pots and put them in the basement for winter, but I knew a lady in Morehead who had some in her landscape in a sheltered spot and well mulched. They lasted a few years, but were finally frozen out. Winter moisture does seem to be the big culprit in undermining the hardiness of some marginal plants. Seems like one of the vendors was offering an aggie they reported to be hardy to zone 6, so I may do some experimenting.
I would be most interested to know how it all goes. I'm going to look around and see if I can track a cold hardy variety. If I find one, I'll be sure to post it. I'd love to have one I can keep outdoors. It's gotten way too crowded in here with plants. Imagine that.
Just did a bit of googling, and it looks like the deciduous varieties are hardier than evergreen ones. Most sources I looked at said zone 7, and one said zone 6 with protection. Thats very promising! I've overwintered elephant ears, cannas, callas, and even a pineapple lily in the ground before, so this may just work! The seeds I've started came from the UK from wallaby1's garden from plants that are used to some cold, which makes me think they're deciduous.
Good work my dear Waston! Yes, this is promising. I'd think they may do best if overwintered like cold hardy cacti- either set in very well draining soil or possibly kept in a container on the porch and up against the house. Oh, Brian's Botanicals has hardy pinapple lilies and a few other hardies too. Next time I see him, I'll ask him if he knows of anything about the aggies.