Agave univittata 'Quadricolor'

Agave have a large tap root and do not transplant well, so choose an appropriate site when planting agave. The majority of the roots are surface roots and do not require a deep hole if planted when young. Check your soil for drainage, or if planting in heavy clay soils amend the soil with sand or grit. Mix in enough sand to make the soil halfway comprised of grit. Water the plant diligently for the first week and then cut it to half the second week. Taper off even more until you are only watering once every week or two.

This plant will flower when it is mature. Many varieties of agave will die after blooming and then produce pups or offshoots from their base to replace themselves. On varieties where the parent plant doesn’t die after flowering, it is a good idea to get long handled pruners and remove the spent bloom.

Offsets are the baby plants that form at the base of some plants, and they are an easy way to propagate a plant. When the offsets have grown large enough to handle - and, hopefully, have some roots of their own,- gently break them away from the mother plant. Plant the offsets in a container and keep the plant barely moist (but not wet) until the plant is establishes, and can be planted out.