New compost should stimulate a wealth of flowers in summer
One of my favourite plants is agapanthus, those noble South African natives that thrive so well in our climate. With their glossy, strappy leaves and clusters of blue or white flowers held on strong stems, followed by interesting seedpods that look fabulous frosted in winter, they are a delight to grow.
They like a sunny, sheltered spot with rich, well-drained soil and because their stems are so robust, they make excellent plants for cutting. We have some in our borders and a few in patio containers. They usually all give a tremendous summer display but last year the potted ones only produced one flower between them.
I topdress them each spring with fresh compost and fertiliser but this year it was obvious that they either needed dividing or repotting in fresh compost. Because the plants were easy to remove from their pots it was clear their roots were not too congested, so repotting them would be the best thing to do for now.
Agapanthus like their roots to be snug, so I simply replanted them in the same pots using peat-free Dalefoot potting compost with some added Growmore for an extra boost.
Hopefully this will be enough to return them to glory, and in two or three years’ time I’ll divide them.
Agapanthus are easy to divide - simply lift them and break apart the rootballs with a spade or t
