Smells to high heaven.
By Stan510
7 Sep, 2016
2 likes
I should blog this..but this Agave planted in 1995 and around it is in need of a all new idea. Including removing dead foliage.
You would not believe how OLD leaves- not new- that are black and withered are a bear to cut through. My hand saw binds on the strong strands,my maddock flattened them more..but never cut through. It took my best hand pruners to slowly scissor across them.
Even many years black? when cut near the trunk it oozed water and the smell was like the town dump. Old fashioned town dumps-lol.
I thought I could do my little front yard in a couple of days. But,Vinca major,Tecoma stans,and Aloe ciliaris all have a strong will to live if you leave one atom of their DNA in the soil.
This is going to take real time to root out all of it..and even then round up the rest that returns. It could take years.
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Vinca is so terrible,its on the California invasive list. Not even sold here I believe. Its been someplace on this property since the late 60's.
My latest go has been the most intensive yet. I still dont feel close to winning.Plenty of shoots and roots I cant get to under or around other plants.
I may resort to using Needle nosed Pliers. Works for weeds in potted plants..seems tedious in the yard,but round up isnt working very well on it. Poorly in fact.
8 Sep, 2016
I have an Agave American which is in a open metal mesh hanging basket, hardly ever water it, I forget. It it just wants to live. Needle nosed pliers sound idea for a gardener, save a lady's finger nails. Wonder if OH would notice if they disappeared from his tool box!
9 Sep, 2016
Weeding cactus? The pliers are the best way to go and they pull out weed and roots. Bare hands don't have the grip- no matter how strong. Some plant materials will just slide.
But Siri,my cactus buying days have passed. For sure doing a large amount of them!
9 Sep, 2016
I only like to look at this plant, wouldn't want one.
They grow wild in the canyons and along the sides of the mesas here.
11 Sep, 2016
This can stay until it flowers and dies. I wont replace it.
1995 Andy..I wonder how many more years until it flowers?
12 Sep, 2016
Here in California they take between 10 - 25 years. They produce many suckers, though.
Here they grow wild all over the place so I see hundreds of flowering spikes every year. I suppose just like the Bay Area (maybe not quite as abundant, though).
15 Sep, 2016
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What else?
See who else is growing Agave americana (Century plant).
See who else has plants in genus Agave.
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That doesn't sound as if it smells too good at all. I've been having a battle with the white flowered Vinca major Stan, but worse than that is Lamium galeobdolon. A never ending task because as soon as you dig it up from "here" it reappears "there".
8 Sep, 2016