The large succulent bed on the south side of the house receives more compliments than any other part of my garden. The maturity of the plants there could be part of the reason for that but, with maturity, many of those succulents no longer just rub elbows - they're overcrowding one another. I've recognized the issue and made adjustments now and then; however, an incident starting with a gopher is now forcing me to get more serious about it.
Here's how the gopher touched off other observations:
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| The hole shown here at the edge of a flagstone looks much larger than it is. When I initially saw it, I thought it was the result of pulling up a clump of alyssum (Lobularia maritima). Closer examination showed it was a gopher hole. Gophers are described as bigger than a mouse but smaller than a rat and they're known for eating plant roots. |
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| I didn't find any gopher mounds or evidence of plant damage nearby at first. However, several feet away I noticed a mass of Erigeron karvinskianus (aka Santa Barbara daisy) 3 feet tall and wide covering the plants below them. As I pulled it up, stems of Hesperaloe parviflora 'Coral Glow' came with it. |
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| I don't have a "before" shot of the plant, one in a group of 3, but it's been thinned by about half its original size. The prior photo of the debris was only a fraction of what I removed. |
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| This is a closeup of the Hesperaloe's pretty flower |
Once I'd cleared the mass of
Erigeron that had covered the blue chalk sticks (
Senecio serpens) and most of an
Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba' next to the
Hesperaloe, I realized that an
Agave 'Blue Flame' was intruding on the smaller agave.
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| At least 2 of the 6 'Blue Flame' rosettes shown here need to go. One rosette's leaning against the Agave 'Mediopicta Alba' and a second is pushing against the Dasylirion longissima. |
That sight prompted me to check on the other clump of
Agave 'Blue Flame' in the same bed. We'd removed one huge rosette there a couple of years ago but, since then, the others have grown larger and proliferated.
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| There are also 6 rosettes here, sandwiched between another 'Mediopicta Alba' Agave and several 'Blue Glow' Agaves |
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| The 'Mediopicta Alba' Agaves themselves are also prone to pupping. Many of those pups end up feet away from the parent plant but some cuddle beneath it. However, in contrast to 'Blue Flame', they're smaller and easier to pull in both situations. |
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| 'Blue Flame' parents and pups stick together and are very hard to remove. I couldn't reach the trunk of either of the 2 in front in this view but I made a stab (or rather a lot of stabs) at cutting into the smaller one, I had limited success. I think better tools, like an electric saw, will be required. |
I've requested assistance from my husband in removing at least some, possibly all, the 'Blue Flame' agaves in this particular clump. As my husband is still preoccupied with "adjustments" to my lath (shade) house and our temperatures are expected to climb until Saturday, we've delayed that effort for awhile. I'm committed, though. While
'Blue Flame' is a good-looking plant, it's a bully. It grows too big, too fast, and it's a prolific pupper. It demands more space than I have to offer and I already have it growing elsewhere.
Those aren't the only removals pending either.
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| The Agave 'Blue Glow' that bloomed in 2023 produced 2 more flower stalks in late 2024, both of which have bloomed. I've already cut down one stalk as it was impeding on the dirt path the gardeners and I both use regularly. The second is leaning into Metrosideros collina 'Springfire'. It and the rest of the plant need to come out soon, although I'm dreading that chore. 'Blue Glow' stabs back! |
The south-side succulent bed may look very different next year but, in a garden, change is inevitable. I'll close this post on a more positive note with two beauty shots of plants in the same area.
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| I was worried that I'd pruned Vitex trifolia (aka simpleleaf chastetree) too hard but it's bounded back to its beautiful self |
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| Crassula pubescens ssp radicans looks great in flower sitting atop the wall along this path |
All material © 2012-2025 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
I would imagine that those would not be fun with work with (like roses!).
ReplyDeleteI expect some blood will be lost, especially when we get to removing the 'Blue Glow' Agave.
DeleteAlways amazes me how one simple observation can lead to a cascade of 'must do's'. Certainly understandable you not looking forward to removing the agaves. They are well armed. I dread even having to repot mine though I cheat by nipping off the spiny tips. Almost poked myself in the eye once hence the trim.
ReplyDeletePart of the problem I didn't mention in the post involves the difficulty of removing weeds that pop up between all those agaves. It's virtually impossible in some cases, which makes a neat freak like me a little crazy. I'd no idea the Agave 'Blue Flame' is inclined to form tight clusters like that!
DeleteRemoving the 'Blue Glow", ugh I would dread that as well. They are so stabby. Is the gopher hole from the gopher you were dealing with this year, or new activity? Gosh, one thing does lead to another.
ReplyDeleteOur neighborhood is riddled with gophers so keeping them out is at best a short-term proposition. In fact, I think our entire peninsula is a version of gopher heaven - even the local botanic garden doesn't have them under any control as far as I can see. My sonic deterrents worked for awhile but they break down in 1-2 years and replacing all that plastic with more plastic isn't appealing. And the traps don't appeal to me - I have a hard time killing anything, no matter how annoying.
Delete'Blue Wave' is such a beauty but seems to be a lot of trouble for you. I grew one flanking a concrete path and don't remember nuisance pupping -- nothing like A. lophantha 'Quadricolor' or your medio-picta. The latter I found impossible to keep to one rosette and don't grow it unless in a pot. Maintaining a succulent garden is a constantly moving target!
ReplyDeleteAll 3 of those agave species could win awards as handsome but troublesome plants. I've got all of them but I've had an easier time managing both 'Quadricolor' and 'Mediopicta Alba', probably because they're smaller and less likely to create tight clumps. 'Blue Flame' took its time before it went nuts but it's become difficult in all 3 locations I've used it. Those planted on a low ledge leaning into the street are the easiest to manage.
DeleteEvery garden has challenges for sure, but I'd say you are an expert in managing the challenges and keeping your garden in beautiful shape. Moving the plants and shifting things will be a big project for you, but I'm sure it will be healthy and lovely when you're done. I haven't had too much trouble with gophers, but chipmunks and squirrels can be challenging diggers, too. My worst problem is the rabbits that have eaten 100s of $$ worth of plants down to the ground. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the vote of confidence, Beth. The critters in our garden do throw a monkeywrench into our garden efforts, don't they?! I've got squirrels, rabbits, and raccoons, as well as the gophers. If only the coyotes would make themselves useful and keep the population of those pests down to manageable levels!
DeleteYou've got a job ahead--whew! Did you get one of those Root Slayer shovels like Gerhard has? I want one before my next Agave removal.
ReplyDelete'Blue Glow' comes out relatively easy here--usually the root system is pretty much vanished. Easier, as bloomed-out Agaves go. I've found them easier than desmettianas, for sure. Yeah, with you on 'Blue Flame', just too much to deal with. Big and crazy-heavy. I'm kind of there on attenuata as well--too much pupping--the 'Ray of Light' is easier as it is much slower and smaller.
I hate gophers. They're right up there with fireworks. A pair of fine healthy, apparently well-fed coyotes watched Natasha and I walking home last week. Not agressive, just alert. We both barked, and they vanished. Haven't seen a rabbit at all this year. :)
I think a friend gave me something like the Root Slayer but maybe not as good - I don't remember being overly impressed. I know Gerhard swears by his so I should look into that. I also planned to look back to his blog about the tact he took earlier this year in taking out what I recall was a large agave.
DeleteThe local HOA just sent out a warning about a large group of coyotes roaming a nearby area so I might get some help with the gophers, without taking action into my own hands.
I love my Root Slayer. It cuts through soil and plants like butter.
ReplyDeleteI'd never had a gopher until recently. I stuffed these nasty-smelling balls in each hole I found to drive it away, and it seems to have worked.
https://amzn.to/4eHf54A
My husband tackled the first group of agaves with his favorite spade and an electric saw. It went fairly well (easy for me to say as all I did was carrying the remains to the bins) but I'll order the Root Slayer before I ask him to "help" with the 'Blue Glow' Agave's removal! Thanks for the suggestion on the repellent balls - they look easier to use than the granules I had to water in.
DeleteHaving to remove plants that you love and often still look good is an emotional as well as a physical challenge. Sometimes though, it has to be done as part of the garden's evolution. In my garden, it's the sward ferns that often outgrow their space. I enlist the homeowner's brawn for their removal but at least they don't fight back!
ReplyDeleteChavli
Sword ferns do scheme to take over the world, Chavli! I was surprised by the sheer number of Agave 'Blue Flame' rosettes. I'd counted 6 at the start. Well, there were 6 large ones and at least more 6 mid-sized ones and close to a dozen small ones buried underneath! 'Blue Flame' also wants to achieve world domination.
Delete'Blue Wave' is so gorgeous, but wow... it looks like it wants to take over your entire garden.
ReplyDeleteAgave 'Blue Flame' is ridiculous in terms of its pupping behavior - as I mentioned in my response to Chavli, there were many more mid-sized and smaller pups buried below the bigger ones. Both you and Denise referred to my plants as 'Blue Wave', which I'd never heard of - my original plants were labeled as 'Blue Flame'. I thought they might refer to the same plant but, when I queried Google, the AI response was that they're 2 different plants. I looked at photos and I'm fairly certain mine are 'Blue Flame' - 'Blue Wave' may behave better ;)
DeleteYou need a Samarai swordsman to deal with those 'Blue Flame' plants! ;) Eliza
ReplyDeleteThe electric saw worked pretty well, Eliza ;)
Delete