Potted Agave Care: Tips On Growing Agave Plants In Pots

Can agave grow in pots? You bet! With so many varieties of agave available, container grown agave plants are an excellent choice for the gardener with limited space, less than perfect soil conditions, and a lack of abundant sunlight. Since most agaves thrive year round in warmer climates, container plants are also a wonderful choice for gardeners living in climates that experience colder temperatures. Potted agave also provide the flexibility of being mobile. Growing agave plants in pots allows you to move the containers to the location that provides the light, temperature and weather conditions that will help your agave thrive.

How to Grow Agave in Containers

Growing agave plants in pots is fun and rewarding. Any agave can be grown in a container, but the smaller varieties are the most popular. Agave plants love to be root bound, so growing them in pots make these plants excellent candidates for houseplants. All container grown agave pants need a soil that dries slowly but drains quickly. For outdoor containers, you can make a good soil mixture by mixing equal parts of compost; potting mix or garden soil; and either gravel, pumice, or coarse sand. Do not use peat moss, which is undesirable for agave plant growing. For indoor grown agave, make sure you use a sterilized potting mix combined with either gravel, pumice, or coarse sand. When you pot your agave, do not bury the plant too deeply in the soil. Make sure the crown of the plant is above the soil line to prevent crown rot, a disease that is detrimental to agave plants.

Potted Agave Care

Agave plants need plenty of sunlight. If you are growing agave plants indoors, choose a bright, sunny window with as much sun possible. A south- or west-facing window works very well. Keep your agave sufficiently watered, and always water completely, making sure the soil is at least half dry before watering again. If you are not sure the soil is dry enough, it is better to wait a day to avoid over-watering your plant. Don’t forget to fertilize. Late spring and summer are the times to feed your container grown agave with a balanced (20-20-20), all-purpose liquid fertilizer at half-strength once a month.