How to Remove Agave Pups from the Mother Plant: 9 Steps (2024)

FAQs

How do you separate agave from mother plant? ›

Dividing an agave is simple: just wiggle the pups until they separate from the mother plant, making sure to include some roots.

The monocarpic nature of agave makes the production of offsets important. Seeds may germinate and grow, but the offsets have a better chance of growing since they are attached to the mother plant until it flowers and dies. It is indeed possible to dig and transplant some of the offsets, though not necessary.

Dig down and around the agave with a shovel, going about 8 to 12 inches deep. Cut the shovel into the ground in an arc toward the center of the agave. When the root ball is loose, lift it out of the ground. You can also separate the root ball into more manageable sections so you can more easily lift it out of the soil.

How to remove the pup from the mother. Use a sharp knife to cut off the baby right at the base of the stem. Leave other babies attached if they haven't grow large enough yet. A baby will generally grow larger faster when it's still attached to the mother plant.

Agave plants spread without flowering by growing offshoots, called pups. These pups grow into new plants once they are separated from the main plant. They are easily removed by exposing the connecting root and cutting through it. You can then grow the pups by replanting them.

A stunning solution for the low-maintenance plant lover is to add a nice, big fat green Agave plant in a jar with water-the bigger the better! So long as the plant gets some indirect sunshine, and you refresh the water every couple of weeks, the agave plant will thrive, grow roots, and get huge.

How to Propagate Agave in Water. Put your Agave Plant into a large pot of water. Ensure that the plant enjoys indirect sunshine and fills the water after a few weeks. Your agave plant will develop roots and massive growth.

Most agaves propagate by throwing out offshoots, called "bulbils" or "pups." If your agave doesn't survive transplanting, you can harvest the pups and replant them. First, don heavy, protective gear including gloves, because those spines are serious. Don't prune or top off any of the leaves.

"Agaves produce new smaller plants around their base. All you need do is remove the pups from the mother plant using a trowel or knife and put them in smaller pots with the same kind of soil mixture that your original plant has been thriving in.

The agave beetle drills a hole in the heart of the agave then lays its eggs. When the eggs hatch the new grubs begin eating the heart out of the plant. As they eat and grow they also introduce bacteria and rot and this kills the agave cactus.

How do you remove plantlets? ›

Sever the stolon with a sharp knife or a pair of pruning shears that have been wiped with rubbing alcohol to kill off any pathogens. Dig around the base of the pup to uncover the roots using your fingers or a sharp handheld trowel. Gently pry the pup from the soil, keeping the rootball intact. Repot it immediately.

Remove the succulent babies prematurely, and you put it at risk to fail. I recommend waiting until the offsets are about half the size of the mother plant before removing them. This ensures your babies have the proper nutrients and best chance for life on their own.

Is your barrel cactus sprouting babies? Barrel cactus pups often develop on the mature plant. Many leave them and let them grow, creating a globular design in the container or in the ground. You can propagate these for new plants too.

Pups are any “baby cactus” or succulent whether it is an offset or attached directly at the stem. When pups are attached directly to the stem they can be separated from the mother plant with a sharp, sterilized knife. The pup is allowed to “heal”for several days in a warm environment without any direct sunlight.

Most cacti and succulents can be easily propagated from stem or leaf cuttings, as explained below. For those cacti whose stems are formed of segments (e.g. prickly pears, Christmas cactus), always remove whole segments as cuttings – don't split segments in half.

All agaves reproduce by pups in about the same way, so these instructions should apply to your plant. Since the "mother" plant is already dying, you might begin by cutting away some of its menacing leaves from the area where you will be working.

It can take up to 10 years before flowering. Once it does flower, the rosette that the flower spike emerged from will die, and will become surrounded by new pup plants. That's why in older gardens agave is often seen growing in large, mounded clumps.

Agave, and other succulents, tend to have shallow root systems and don't need overly deep holes. After carefully removing your agave from its pot, gently breakaway any loose dirt in the root system. Once the excess dirt has been knocked away gently pull and open up the remaining roots, like untangling a knot.

Propagation of most cacti and agaves is a very simple procedure. Many varieties can be successfully propagated by both vegetative cuttings and from seed.

Propagation: it does not produce pups off the mother plant and the seeds cannot be relied on to produce true, so it has to be replaced by a new plant when it dies.

How do you separate a puppy from a plant? ›

When they are roughly half the size of the parent plant, gently dig into the soil (roughly 1”) until you reach an area on the stem that has grown some roots. Cut the stem using a pair of clean scissors or with the pineapple plant you can just gently rip the pup off from the main plant.

Early fall and spring are good times to plant agave pups, so they can grow roots before the heat of summer arrives. If you have an agave, start looking for little pups. Do you have more than you need? Plant one in a pretty container and give it to a friend.

The plants require little care most of the time, although they benefit from occasional trimming to improve their overall appearance. However, agaves resent heavy pruning and can die back if you remove healthy leaves, so it is best to only remove the spent flower stalks and any damaged or dead leaves that appear.

To safely remove root offshoots, wait until the pups begin to develop their own root systems. Then, they should be large enough to remove. Using a clean, sharp pair of scissors, remove the pup from the mother plant's root system, and give the pup and the mother plant a day or so to callous over.

Often, these offshoots or pups will already have their own roots and can simply be removed from the mother and potted on their own, says Kremblas. Others may need a few weeks to develop their own roots; treat these pups like stem cuttings and plant once the roots sprout.

Simply cut the head of the plant off the lengthy stem, leaving about an inch of stem attached. Dry it out, let it grow roots, and plant. The remaining stem of a healthy beheaded plant should grow new leaves in a compact grouping, making for a sturdier, more attractive plant.

Maintaining Your Agave Plants

During the agave's growing season, spring through summer, you can feed with a specialized plant food, such as Miracle-Gro® Liquid Succulent Plant Food, following label directions.

Agaves make excellent container plants because of their relatively sparse root system and their tolerance for crowding. Containers also offer the advantage of finding the right amount of sun or shade, and make it easy to shelter plants from too much rain or cold.

“The biggest mistake people make with agaves is overwatering,” Allen said. “Don't flood them. Don't give them too much water – they can't hold it.” Agaves need excellent drainage; if their roots stand in water or get too much moisture, they'll rot.

Agaves grown in pots need a soil that will dry out slowly but offer good drainage. Use a combination of equal parts compost; good potting mix or garden soil; and either gravel, pumice, or sharp sand. Do not use peat moss; its acidity and its water-holding properties are not desirable for growing agaves.

How long does an agave plant live? ›

There are 9 different species of the genus Agave that are referred to as "century" plants. This has reference to the fact that this plant lives for anywhere from 8 to 40 years (not a century) before it blooms, after which it dies. .

Provide ample light for your agave plant.

While most agave plants will grow in light shade, these plants generally do best in a space that receives full sun.

The agave itself has no particular problems with being moved. You just get the root out of the ground, and even if it is broken, it will still survive on the root that is left. You're talking about a pretty big plant to move, and getting close enough to it to get a shovel into that root is a challenge.

Propagation of most cacti and agaves is a very simple procedure. Many varieties can be successfully propagated by both vegetative cuttings and from seed.

Agave, and other succulents, tend to have shallow root systems and don't need overly deep holes. After carefully removing your agave from its pot, gently breakaway any loose dirt in the root system. Once the excess dirt has been knocked away gently pull and open up the remaining roots, like untangling a knot.

If one desires to save the seeds for propagation or food for wildlife, then prune after the seeds are mature and/or dispersed. Agave will die after it blooms. Its spikes should be pruned off and the plants removed after blooming or at the first sign of agave weevils.