Growing Agave Plants
The agave plant is a succulent plant and grows well in desert conditions, able to live through droughts. It is native to America and thrives outdoors while it can be grown indoors. In order to grow it, choose a terra-cotta pot for best plant growth. The pot should not be glazed and should have at least one hole for drainage.
To grow an agave plant, select an area that gets on average seven hours of direct sunlight during the day. Make a hole in the potting soil that is twice as wide as the agave root ball and just as deep. Gently place the roots into the dug hole and fill it back to the original soil line. The agave plants should be planted two or three feet apart from each other. Over the soil around the plant, pour a layer of gravel mulch (one inch in thickness), starting two to three inches from the top of the plant, leaving room for plant growth and air circulation. This will keep the moisture in the soil and keep the crown of the plant dry, as well as prevent disease.
In the winter, the agave plants should be kept dry for the most part, but do water just enough to keep the roots from drying out. Watering once a month will do the trick. After the winter months, you should start watering more as the plant begins to grow. In late spring the plant will be full grown and watering it once a week is best, with about two to three gallons each time in the very hot summer months.
Fertilize agave plants twice a year (spring and fall) with 20-20-20 NPK fertilizer. Be sure to prune dead leaves whenever needed. Remove the entire leaf and snip very close to base of plant. This will keep the plant as healthy as possible.
Tip: Make sure the pot is able to drain and that the agave plant is not sitting in a pool of water.
