New Agave purchase

[EastCanadaTropicals]

At my local nursery, I found an Agave Payrri (didn't list which variety) that I'll plant in the ground in a few weeks, any tips to keep it dry in the winter? I will keep it in the ground all-year as an experiment. 

[Meangreen94z]

I don’t think that will make it in the ground. Appears to be Truncata. They might take single digits in dry conditions. The beautiful thing about agave is when it gets cold you can use a shovel and pop them out of the ground. No need to worry about their roots. You can throw them in the corner of the garage. They don’t need much light in cold temperatures.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

15 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

I don’t think that will make it in the ground. Appears to be Truncata. They might take single digits in dry conditions. The beautiful thing about agave is when it gets cold you can use a shovel and pop them out of the ground. No need to worry about their roots. You can throw them in the corner of the garage. They don’t need much light in cold temperatures.

Nice advice, but I'm wondering how to keep it dry so it will take the single digits.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

16 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

I don’t think that will make it in the ground. Appears to be Truncata. They might take single digits in dry conditions. The beautiful thing about agave is when it gets cold you can use a shovel and pop them out of the ground. No need to worry about their roots. You can throw them in the corner of the garage. They don’t need much light in cold temperatures.

Heard that in really dry climates, they are zone 5/6 hardy.

Edited April 26, 2021 by EastCanadaTropicals

[EastCanadaTropicals]

16 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

I don’t think that will make it in the ground. Appears to be Truncata. They might take single digits in dry conditions. The beautiful thing about agave is when it gets cold you can use a shovel and pop them out of the ground. No need to worry about their roots. You can throw them in the corner of the garage. They don’t need much light in cold temperatures.

Also, thanks for identifying it.

[JohnAndSancho]

Throw a bucket over it? 

[Meangreen94z]

There are several forms of Parryi. Truncata is probably the least hardy. Like I said you can dig it out each winter and keep it in the corner of your garage or basement, even bareroot on a piece of cardboard. Anything below 60*F and it will basically be in hibernation and need minimal light and no water. It stands no chance of surviving your temperatures for any lengthy duration, especially in wet soil.

[Meangreen94z]

Plants Delight Nursery is probably the king of testing Agave hardiness, especially in wet conditions 

https://www.plantdelights.com/products/agave-parryi-ssp-truncata

[EastCanadaTropicals]

6 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

There are several forms of Parryi. Truncata is probably the least hardy. Like I said you can dig it out each winter and keep it in the corner of your garage or basement, even bareroot on a piece of cardboard. Anything below 60*F and it will basically be in hibernation and need minimal light and no water. It stands no chance of surviving your temperatures for any lengthy duration, especially in wet soil.

I bought cactus soil for it, I'm hoping it's really sandy.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

I bought cactus soil for it, I'm hoping it's really sandy.

If you want the best chance for it to survive there, you want the soil it gets planted into to be gravely, not sandy.. with very little -anything- organic in it. Sand compacts and will retain a lot of moisture in cooler areas/ season.

[Meangreen94z]

I’m not sure where you’re at in Canada or your rain level, but Truncata is the friendliest to rain, The other forms of Parryi are hardier. Maybe look at these 2 Nurseries in Colorado.

https://coldhardycactus.com/collections/agave
https://www.ethicaldesert.com/shop

 

Hate to say it but I doubt you will get anything to survive where your at in the ground. I know a guy in Zone 6 Ohio that tried just about every cold hardy agave, with just about every method. He had an elevated bed enclosed with clear plastic to keep most moisture out and the only thing that would barely make it is Lopantha. Places like Denver are cold, but relatively dry and have a lot of sunny days. Which is why the more Xeric Agave can make it.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

I’m not sure where you’re at in Canada or your rain level, but Truncata is the friendliest to rain, The other forms of Parryi are hardier. Maybe look at these 2 Nurseries in Colorado.

https://coldhardycactus.com/collections/agave
https://www.ethicaldesert.com/shop

 

Hate to say it but I doubt you will get anything to survive where your at in the ground. I know a guy in Zone 6 Ohio that tried just about every cold hardy agave, with just about every method. He had an elevated bed enclosed with clear plastic to keep most moisture out and the only thing that would barely make it is Lopantha. Places like Denver are cold, but relatively dry and have a lot of sunny days. Which is why the more Xeric Agave can make it.

Ok.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

I’m not sure where you’re at in Canada or your rain level, but Truncata is the friendliest to rain, The other forms of Parryi are hardier. Maybe look at these 2 Nurseries in Colorado.

https://coldhardycactus.com/collections/agave
https://www.ethicaldesert.com/shop

 

Hate to say it but I doubt you will get anything to survive where your at in the ground. I know a guy in Zone 6 Ohio that tried just about every cold hardy agave, with just about every method. He had an elevated bed enclosed with clear plastic to keep most moisture out and the only thing that would barely make it is Lopantha. Places like Denver are cold, but relatively dry and have a lot of sunny days. Which is why the more Xeric Agave can make it.

My nursery has Lopantha too, and not the less hardy quadrucolor variety, so maybe buy that instead, or I can just take it in during winter. Maybe agave havardiana? Still not much of a chance since my climate is extremely humid.

Edited April 27, 2021 by EastCanadaTropicals

[EastCanadaTropicals]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

I’m not sure where you’re at in Canada or your rain level, but Truncata is the friendliest to rain, The other forms of Parryi are hardier. Maybe look at these 2 Nurseries in Colorado.

https://coldhardycactus.com/collections/agave
https://www.ethicaldesert.com/shop

 

Hate to say it but I doubt you will get anything to survive where your at in the ground. I know a guy in Zone 6 Ohio that tried just about every cold hardy agave, with just about every method. He had an elevated bed enclosed with clear plastic to keep most moisture out and the only thing that would barely make it is Lopantha. Places like Denver are cold, but relatively dry and have a lot of sunny days. Which is why the more Xeric Agave can make it.

I am in 5a Quebec.