Slowly but surely

Regular readers will know that I have developed quite a thing about agaves in recent years.  There is something about them that I just love: their structural forms and colours and that they just will not be rushed.  

I bought this Agave americana varigata a couple of years ago.  It was only little on purchase, but I was determined to keep it alive.  My usual routine with agaves and succulents is over winter them indoors as they do not like to get too cold; and summer them outside.  I try and keep and eye on the watering so that I do not drown them but also I know that they do need some watering throughout the year.

In May, once the frosts were past I potted her on and let her go outside with her friends for the summer.  All good.  I could see that there was a new leaf trying to emerge so I happily waited for this to happen.

and waited.

and waited.  I started to worry that she might have died and just not told me.  Would this new leaf emerge?

Then at last, in early September the new leaf popped free.  Hurrah hurrah I exclaimed, she is alive, she is fine.  Had I been checking her nearly every day for weeks?  You betcha!

One new leaf in itself made me happy.  But the agave was not done yet, a new leaf was emerging fast.  

With an almost audible 'ping' another new leaf was free from its confines.  What do you mean they don't go ping?  Its either ping or pop and I am definitely in the ping camp on this one.

Ping! oh yes, another leaf suddenly is breaking lose.  I am beyond excited by this.  I had resigned myself to one leaf if I was lucky this year, so to have this late spurt of growth is beyond what I could have hoped for.  

I don't know if she is done for the year, but I can't imagine there will be a lot more growth as the days get shorter and the nights get cooler.  Soon I will be bringing her in the for the winter so she can have rest ready for the growing season to begin again next year.

I'm excited already.

Take care and be kind.

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