Once the seed heads are removed, pods should either be bagged and placed in the red-lid domestic waste bin or taken to Council's Resource Recovery Centre (RRC), located on Berrima Road Moss Vale, where they will be properly destroyed.
"Unfortunately many people see agapanthus as a plant requiring no maintenance, however, it is important to get out into the garden and cut the seed heads off before they open and the seeds get blown around in the autumn wind."
Agapanthus heads can be disposed of through the Council-provided garden organics waste bin (Green lid).
NOTE: PeeGee and most other hydrangeas dry best if picked just as they're starting to turn pink. Seed heads from Black Eyed Susans, coneflowers, agapanthus, cattails, lunaria (money plant), iris, teasel, poppies, and Queen Anne's lace are also attractive in dried flower bouquets, as are stems from ornamental grasses.
The two methods by which agapanthus can be propagated are seed and division.
The plants are easy to propagate by division if you have a mature plant, or you can plant agapanthus seed pods. Agapanthus seed propagation isn't difficult, but keep in mind that the plants likely won't produce blooms for at least two or three years.
If the weather is turning cold you can collect seed prematurely and store the whole seedhead in a paper bag, but it's preferable to let the seed ripen on the plant. They are easy to grow, preferably sown fresh and pricked out individually next spring. With a bit of luck they should come to flower the following season.
Pot-grown agapanthus will benefit from an annual feed – a liquid tomato feed is ideal. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more to form, or leave the faded flower heads in place if you want to collect the seed. The attractive seedheads are often left on over autumn for decorative reasons.
Garden writer Ciscoe Morris recommends: removing seed pods from plants before they disperse their seeds all over the garden; a good layer of mulch to make pulling weeds easier; giving trees a good watering in hot weather.
Deadheading agapanthus
When the flowers' colours have faded, you can deadhead them by cutting off the flower at the base of the stem. (Alternatively, you can leave the seedhead on the plant for some winter interest.)
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.
Give agapanthus lots of sun, plus extra water when its really hot and dry and they'll bloom abundantly. Agapanthus plants that fail to flower are usually growing in too much shade. While they grow with little care, agapanthus plants respond to an application of fertiliser or composted manure in spring.
“Agapanthus stems can be pruned at ground level when the flower has gone over unless you want to leave them in the garden for winter structure,” says Patrick Fairweather, the Managing Director of Fairweather's Nursery.
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.
All seeds will be viable for one to two years. After two or three years, germination rates will drop for many types of seeds and will eventually fall to zero. So, stocking up on seeds for an “emergency” isn't a good idea because they don't last forever.
You can save vegetable seeds from your garden produce to plant next year. Seed saving involves selecting suitable plants from which to save seed, harvesting seeds at the right time and storing them properly over the winter.
It is essential to keep seeds dry and cool so that they will remain viable until the next spring. Ideally, they should be stored in tightly sealed glass containers. Individual varieties or different types of seeds can be placed inside of paper packets and then packed together inside of a larger glass container.
Because agapanthus plants spread quickly, they are regarded as an invasive weed in parts of New South Wales and Victoria. Your local council can provide guidance on growing agapanthus, which may include dead-heading flowers before seed dispersal.
GROWING INSTRUCTIONS: Sow indoors, February to March, in pots or trays of seed compost, lightly covering the seed. Maintain a temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) and keep moist. Thin seedlings to further trays or pots when large enough to handle.
Sowing agapanthus seeds in the garden
You can plant agapanthus seeds directly into the ground in spring or start them off in a seed tray indoors. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil and gently cover them with a thin layer of potting soil. Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.