What to do With Agapanthus in August – 3 Easy Care Tips for Longer-Lasting Blooms This Year and Healthier Plants Next Year
Help your agapanthus beat the heat this month and set it up for beautiful blooms next year.
Whimsical flowers that seem to hover above your garden beds and add beautiful pops of color? Sign me up! Agapanthus flowers are so visually striking, I still remember the first time I saw one. Also called "African Lily" or “Lily of the Nile,” agapanthus stand tall and add a unique charm to your landscape.
Their gorgeous, yet underrated flowers are replacing alliums as our favorite pick for tall, eye-catching ornamentals. And it’s no wonder! Agapanthus are easy going, long-flowering additions to any garden. But August and its heat can challenge even the hardiest plants.
Let’s dig in and see how to best care for your magical agapanthus flowers in August. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.
1. Guard Against Heat Waves
Hot, dry weather in August can lead to parched plants and prematurely wilted flowers. Agapanthus like loamy, well-draining soil but they still need moisture! Water your plants when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. You can either stick your finger in the ground or container to check or use a long soil moisture meter from Amazon to check moisture with ease.
Pay special attention to agapanthus in pots or containers. Gardeners in cooler regions of the country often grow agapanthus in containers so they can be winterized easily. But container-grown plants dry out more quickly than those in the ground. Keep a close eye on your potted flowers to prevent a sudden, drought-induced wilt.
2. Prepare Next Year's Blooms
Deadheading spent flowers on your agapanthus means the plant’s precious energy will go towards building deep, strong roots instead of producing seeds. Snip off wilted blooms with a pair of clean, sharp pruners (our editors like to keep their tools sharp with this Corona sharpener from Amazon). Deadheading will also keep the plants looking tidy.
However, if you are interested in expanding your garden and growing new agapanthus plants next spring, you can harvest seeds and plant them. Wait until the seed heads are dry, brown and beginning to split open to harvest them. Gently shake the seeds out of their pods and sow them right away, or save them for planting in late winter. I love to use this ARTDOT storage system from Amazon to organize all my seeds after harvest.
3. Feed Wisely
August is the last time you should be fertilizing your agapanthus. A balanced fertilizer will help replenish nutrients and provide energy for the last flowers of the season while also getting the roots ready for the winter ahead. You don’t want them to go to bed on an empty stomach! Espoma Flower-Tone fertilizer from Amazon is a good, organic fertilizer that is gentle and will promote blooms and plant health.
Feeding too late in the season will encourage your plant to push out new growth that will still be tender and vulnerable when the cold snaps begin. It is hard to imagine being cold right now, but we are rapidly losing sunlight and will be heading into sweater weather before you know it! You can learn your average first frost date by entering your ZIP code into the tool at the Old Farmer's Almanac website.
A little time and care for agapanthus plants in August will set them up for the rest of the warm season and also help them stay healthy over the winter. Extra attention spent on water, deadheading and feeding will give you the best blooms yet!
