- time
- Tools & Utensils
- substrate
- Dividing Agapanthus: Instructions
- care after division
- frequently asked Questions
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
If you want to divide your agapanthus, you need to follow certain steps. The individual points ensure that the African lily is not damaged by the division and can then grow effectively.
In a nutshell
- African lilies are divided in spring
- Root ball can be halved or quartered
- undemanding to the plant substrate
- needs drainage
- usually no flowering in the year after division
time
One of the most important steps in dividing African lilies is timing. If the wrong date is chosen, the plant can be severely damaged, which in turn has a negative effect on the root formation of the sections. For this reason, you should always pay attention to the right date. Since a division is used either as a means of propagation or to reduce root ball size, you will need to repot them at the same time. This means that the perfect date is April, when the African lily develops new leaves and slowly moves out of its winter quarters. On average, you have to divide your agapanthus every three to four years, otherwise they will explode in the bucket.
Tools & Utensils
In order for the Agapanthus to divide successfully, you need the right equipment. Fortunately, this can be obtained quickly, because you probably already have most of the tools at home. The tool used is particularly important for the division. You will need one of the following to split the root ball in half:
- spade
- hand saw
- knife
- splitting axe
- chisel and hammer
Make sure cutting tools are sanitized and sharp. This will prevent possible pathogens from penetrating the interfaces of the offshoots. In addition to these, the right pot is important. It should have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. The pot should be slightly larger than half the size of the mother plant. African lilies like it a little tighter. For this reason, the offshoots of the African lily should not be placed in pots that are too large. You should also use the following tools when dividing your agapanthus:
- garden gloves
- sturdy shoes
substrate
In order to be able to divide your agapanthus, you also need substrate. Fresh plant substrate fixes the offshoots of the African lily in the new plant pot and provides them with all the necessary nutrients for the first season. Since African lilies do not make great demands on the soil, you can use one of the following substrates:
- potting soil
- garden soil
The plant substrate is enriched with a part of fresh compost and a little gravel. This improves the structure of the substrate, which ensures better grip and a good supply of moisture and nutrients. You don't have to worry about possible waterlogging.
Compost enriches your soil with nutrients.
Notice: The garden soil must be sterilized before use so that there are no longer any bacteria, germs, fungi or insect eggs in it.
Dividing Agapanthus: Instructions
As soon as you have prepared the plant substrate and the equipment, you can start dividing. Find a place in the garden or on your property where you have enough space if you have large African lilies. The effort can be intensive depending on the size of your copy. Lack of space makes the process extremely difficult. The following instructions explain the division process:
- Remove plant from pot
- loosen the soil in the bucket for this
- proceed carefully
- Rhizomes should not be damaged
- usually requires a lot of force
- Do not remove soil from root ball
- divide into halves or quarters
- depending on the size of the plant
- Put pieces aside
- Equip the bucket with drainage
- Drainage material: gravel, expanded clay
- Drainage layer: 10 cm high
- Insert part
- have to sit up straight
- fill up with soil
- press and pour carefully
Tip: Ideally, clamp the root ball in a vise or ask someone to help if it's a large specimen. The rhizomes are very robust and some force is sometimes needed to divide them.
care after division
After dividing and potting the plants, you need to take care of the offshoots in a specific way. This supports the growth and establishment of the sections in the substrate. It is particularly important to water it correctly after dividing it so that the sections do not dry out immediately. Water the sections well for the first few weeks after planting in the new pot. To do this, check the soil regularly for moisture and water as needed. The earth is checked using the finger test. Once the top layer of soil has dried, water. It is not necessary to fertilize the Agapanthus after division. The soil enriched with nutrients is perfectly sufficient.
Notice: After dividing, the plants are overwintered in the same way as before. You don't have to adjust the winter routine.
frequently asked Questions
Why don't African lilies flower after division?The division severely affects the African lily. You have to reckon with the fact that after the division at least one season can pass without flowering. Depending on the sensitivity of the species or variety, it can even take two to three years before the next flower appears. Others, if you're lucky, will still flower in the year of the division.
How can a stuck African lily be removed from the pot?Depending on the degree of root penetration, the rhizomes of the amaryllis family can mean that the plant cannot be easily removed from the pot. If that's the case, you'll have to use a saw. Cut a large hole in the ground without damaging the bottom edge of the tub. After that, you can more easily remove the lily from the pot.
What type of planter is suitable for the Agapanthus?So that the individual sections can unfold after potting, you should avoid pots made of clay or ceramics, as these are easily damaged. Ideally, you should use plastic pots because of the low acquisition costs. It's not so bad for these if they are blown up.