Winter protection for agave harvardiana in 7b MD help???

[newtopalmsMD]

I've read enough on line to know that agave and wet winters don't mix.  That said has anyone successfully grown harvardiana (or other agave) in a wet zone 7 area?  If so what did you do to keep it alive?  I'm willing to dig a very large hole and fill it with gravel, sand , peat moss or whatever else is needed for drainage and cook up some structure for the winter that would let in light without being a greenhouse and keep out direct snow and rain (but not ambient humidity).  I was wondering if anyone has successfully done this and would share what they did?

I have a havardiana that is overflowing a 5 gallon pot full of simple potting mix from a big box store.  It would be nice to have it in the ground.  The ground is just clay (  ) but I do have a yucca rostrata that has grown from a one gallon pot into a five foot plant with just a mix of the clay and garden soil at the initial planting.

Thanks for any advice!

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 4/22/2025 at 4:46 PM, newtopalmsMD said:

I've read enough on line to know that agave and wet winters don't mix.  That said has anyone successfully grown harvardiana (or other agave) in a wet zone 7 area?  If so what did you do to keep it alive?  I'm willing to dig a very large hole and fill it with gravel, sand , peat moss or whatever else is needed for drainage and cook up some structure for the winter that would let in light without being a greenhouse and keep out direct snow and rain (but not ambient humidity).  I was wondering if anyone has successfully done this and would share what they did?

I have a havardiana that is overflowing a 5 gallon pot full of simple potting mix from a big box store.  It would be nice to have it in the ground.  The ground is just clay (  ) but I do have a yucca rostrata that has grown from a one gallon pot into a five foot plant with just a mix of the clay and garden soil at the initial planting.

Thanks for any advice!

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With the exception of peat moss, < avoid using it >  everything else you're considering for a soil mix sounds right.  Lots of gravel / Horticultural- type grit.  Avoid fine sand since it often retains a lot of water. 

 Elevating the space where it will be planted is something else that would help w/ drainage also..

For winter, you could construct a simple cold frame like box w/ a plexi-glass type top to keep the plant dry, but allow light in.. Plexi won't tear or droop under the weight of snow like greenhouse plastic sheeting can either.  ...and sides that can be opened on days it isn't raining / snowing to allow air to flow around the plant.

..A thought anyway..

[N8ALLRIGHT]

I also have a decent sized Agave havardiana in a pot. I've been reluctant to plant it out because our winters are wet as well. I've read that ovatifolia does fairly well with wet winters. No actual experience with them however. @teddytn has some agaves in zone 7 outdoors maybe he can chime in. Regardless I'm interested in your experience going forward.

Good luck