Agapanthus are easy to grow from seed and you may get flowering plants in as little as two years. Collect seed when the seedhead is becoming brown and the capsules are starting to burst.
Agapanthus come in a wide variety such as evergreen and deciduous to tall and dwarf. All have a dense fleshy root system that produces arching, strap-like, dark green foliage in a clumping habit. During mid Spring to early Summer tall flower spikes will emerge with round umbels of brightly coloured flowers.
Agapanthus is a truly impressive, sun-loving summer bulb which will grace containers or borders with their firework flowers in vivid, yet serene shades from mid-summer onwards every year.
Agapanthus is propagated in two ways — by seed or by division of the clump. Once established, agapanthus can spread slowly by seed. Unlike berry-producing weedy plants, such as privet or cotoneaster, agapanthus is not spread by birds. Instead, seeds fall around the clump and have a tendency to drift downhill.
You can simply open the pods and pick out the seeds. You can collect a number of pods to process by rubbing them gently between your hands so that all the seeds fall out, or you can place pale brown pods in a paper bag and place them in a dry location until they split open and the seeds fall out.
"Unfortunately many people see agapanthus as a plant requiring no maintenance, however, it is important to get out into the garden and cut the seed heads off before they open and the seeds get blown around in the autumn wind."
Place the seed in open paper (not polythene) bags until it has dried and then store, now in sealed bags, in a cool, dry place until March or April.
Place the tray in a warm area where the seeds will be exposed to sunlight for at least six hours per day. Water lightly whenever the surface of the potting mix is dry. Be careful not to overwater. Move the trays to a cool, bright area after the seeds germinate, which usually takes about a month.
Because agapanthus plants spread quickly, they are regarded as an invasive weed in parts of New South Wales and Victoria. Your local council can provide guidance on growing agapanthus, which may include dead-heading flowers before seed dispersal.
When planting your Agapanthus bulbs, make sure they will receive full sun to light shade. Plant the bulbs 2" deep and 4-6" apart. After planting, water your bulbs generously, soaking the soil. Roots and top growth will form within a few weeks.
A rough count of the flower heads produced by Agapanthus africanus tops 60, which is not the most I've ever enjoyed, but is the best in recent years.
Agapanthus may take two or three years before they begin to flower. For the first growing season, it should be watered regularly and deeply so it can establish a root system. It should be watered whenever the top three inches of soil is dry.
Deadheading agapanthus
When the flowers' colours have faded, you can deadhead them by cutting off the flower at the base of the stem. (Alternatively, you can leave the seedhead on the plant for some winter interest.)
Agapanthus are grown from bare-roots and should be planted in spring. It's best to start them off under cover or in a warm, bright place to give them a good start.
It can take four years or more for Agapanthus bulbs (Agapanthus africanus), to multiply or naturalize. Agapanthus are best divided and transplanted in the fall for spring blooms.
GROWING INSTRUCTIONS: Sow indoors, February to March, in pots or trays of seed compost, lightly covering the seed. Maintain a temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) and keep moist. Thin seedlings to further trays or pots when large enough to handle.
It is a perennial plant that can live for up to 75 years. Its evergreen leaves are 2 cm wide and 50 cm long. Its inflorescence is an umbel. The flowers are blue, purple or white and bloom from late spring to summer, followed by capsules filled with black seeds.
NOTE: PeeGee and most other hydrangeas dry best if picked just as they're starting to turn pink. Seed heads from Black Eyed Susans, coneflowers, agapanthus, cattails, lunaria (money plant), iris, teasel, poppies, and Queen Anne's lace are also attractive in dried flower bouquets, as are stems from ornamental grasses.
Best Fertilizer For Agapanthus
Down to Earth Organic Rose & Flower Fertilizer is a granular formula with a 4-8-4 NPK ratio, which supports healthy growth and boosts flowering. It is organic and easy to apply. JR Peters Jack's Classic Blossom Booster is another great option to fertilize your agapanthus.
They actually like to be crowded and bloom best when left alone. But when a clump becomes too large for an area, separating is a useful way to reduce its size. And the divisions allow you to plant them in other parts of your landscape. Since they like to be crowded, agapanthus also do very well in containers.
You can prune agapanthus at any time of year to remove dead, damaged or diseased foliage. For deciduous varieties, spent foliage can be removed in late fall, but this will leave the crown exposed to the winter elements. Never remove foliage after blooming as this deprives the plant of the energy it needs to overwinter.