Deciduous varieties – Cut back agapanthus stems to about 4 inches (10 cm.) above the ground at the end of the blooming season. However, if you like the texture and structure that spent plants provide to the winter landscape, cutting back agapanthus can wait until early spring.
Agapanthus pruning is also essential to encourage healthy growth. You can do this after the flowering season, cutting back the stems to around 10 cm above ground level for deciduous varieties, which include Agapanthus Melbourne, Agapanthus Galaxy White, and Agapanthus Little Galaxy.
Dividing and transplanting agapanthus
One advantage of growing agapanthus is that once you've got one, you're guaranteed to have more, because they multiply by themselves in clumps. However, if left untouched for any length of time, they will become overcrowded and may flower poorly.
Agapanthus plants benefit from regular deadheading, which helps them conserve energy. Simply remove the entire flower stem once the blooms have faded.
It is a perennial plant that can live for up to 75 years. Its evergreen leaves are 2 cm wide and 50 cm long. Its inflorescence is an umbel. The flowers are blue, purple or white and bloom from late spring to summer, followed by capsules filled with black seeds.
It is naturally disappointing when agapanthus don't flower well. It's quite a common problem, however, and thankfully one that can be resolved. To ensure a good display next year, keep plants well-watered through summer until early autumn, which will encourage the development of new flower buds.
With proper care, agapanthus flowering occurs repeatedly for several weeks throughout the season, then this perennial powerhouse returns to put on another show the next year.
Although tolerant of drought and poor soil, both flower and foliage production improves with moisture and feeding. They perform best in a position in full sun or part-shade in any well-drained soil.
To bloom regularly, fertilize agapanthus twice a year, either after blooming, in early fall (September in the Upstate, October in the Lowcountry), or in early spring (early March in the Lowcountry and April Upstate). A low-nitrogen, complete fertilizer that includes phosphorus is best, such as 5-10-15 or 8-8-8.
Agapanthus leaves might be turning yellow as a consequence of getting sunburnt, being overwatered, or when they are suffering from fungal diseases or pest attacks. The long, curved and slender leaves of the Agapanthus plant turn yellow mostly when they are suffering from an external attack by fungi or pests.
Plant in full sun – agapanthus require direct sunlight for at least two-thirds of the day. Too much shade and the flower stems will become weak and extended, if they appear at all.
Once established, agapanthus spread slowly by seed. Seeds are not spread by birds but fall around the clump and may drift down hill. To restrict the spread of these plants from your garden, remove the stalks as flowers finish and don't dump unwanted plants where they can spread.
Repeat flowering Agapanthus for up to 6 months of the year.
These gorgeous plants produce masses of bright and colourful flowers in spring and summer, as well as sporadically throughout the year, including in mild winters as seen in 2020.
Feeding – Agapanthus are quite hungry feeders. For best results apply a top dressing of our Agapanthus Plant Food to the surface of the soil. It is best applied first in March, then repeated in May and August.
Agapanthus grows and spreads by fleshy rhizomes that act as storage roots. The plant retains nutrients in its roots and may be divided to create more plants. Use a sharp shovel to dig up an established plant and divide it into several sections, each with roots and foliage.
Get cleaning: The important bit to remove is the rhizome, don't worry too much about getting all the white wriggly roots. It's the rhizome that will resprout and grow more agapanthuses.
Agapanthus lilies are probably of minimal toxicity to animals unless eaten in quantity. However, where a dog or cat is prone to chewing on plants, it would be prudent to remove the plant from the animals environment.
Generally 3-4 inches deep for the larger variety and about 2 inches for the dwarf varieties.
Lift the plants and carefully divide the crown with a sharp spade, making sure that each section has at least two growing points. You may need to use two garden forks back to back to divide very established clumps. This can be done in spring or after flowering in autumn.
Your agapanthus might not be flowing any number of reasons including, poor watering, not enough sunlight, has a lack of nutrients within the soil, or simply too young of a plant to bloom. Agapanthus flowering problems are actually quite common. They are known to be stubborn bloomers if not given the right environment.