The Agapantus was a real eye-catcher in the garden and on the terrace in summer. If you're now wondering whether you should overwinter the African lily or whether the exotic flower is hardy, read on to learn how to properly care for it during the colder months.
The African Lily, also known as Agapanthus, is a popular garden and container plant admired for its stunning clusters of blue or white flowers. However, in order to promote strong spring blooms, proper overwintering is essential. Below you will find out what you should pay attention to during the winter season and how you can protect the ornamental plant.
Overwintering African lilies: Tips for proper care
Correct overwintering of Agapanthus ensures its survival and creates the conditions for a healthy plant that will give you numerous magnificent flowers next year. However, winter care depends on which type you have chosen and whether you are growing your agapanthus in the ground or in a pot. If you follow the tips below and pay attention to your plant's needs, you can enjoy an overwhelming display of color in spring.
Is Agapanthus hardy?
There are several Agapanthus species that are either deciduous (Agapanthus campanulatus, Agapanthus inapertus, Agapanthus coddii and various hybrids) or evergreen (Agapanthus africanus, Agapanthus praecox).
The deciduous species shed their leaves in winter and are considered partially hardy because they come from the cooler parts of Africa and are used to light frosts. They can tolerate temperatures down to -15°C and survive the winter outdoors with a little shelter. Evergreen species, on the other hand, are not used to cold conditions and cannot tolerate winter outdoors. It is therefore recommended that they be planted in pots.
Overwinter deciduous African lily
If you are growing a deciduous African lily in the garden, allow the leaves to die back, then cut the stems back to 10cm andremove the wilted flowers. This is how the energy for the next year is stored in the rhizomes.
You can then either leave the plant in the bed or dig up the tubers and store them during the winter.
If you decide to grow the African lily in the bed, protect it with a 15-20 cm thick layer of autumn leaves or bark mulch and water it every 2-3 weeks. However, it can also do without water at all. Suspend fertilization until spring. Remove the mulch in spring to prevent the plant from rotting.
If you prefer to dig up the tubers, brush off the soil and let it dry out in the sun for a few days. Wrap them in newspaper and store them in a cool, dry, dark place in the basement or garage. The optimal temperatures for overwintering the tubers are 4°C to 10°C. Plant the tubers outdoors again next spring.
If you are growing a deciduous variety in a pot, you should only place it in a cool place so that it can go into dormancy. Therefore, avoid temperatures above 10°C as this can lead to small flowers next year. Light is not required because the plant has shed its leaves and is not photosynthesizing.
When winter is over, transplant the African lily into a new container and place it back in the garden.
Preparing evergreen potted plants for winter
First check the plant for dead or diseased branches and remove them before moving the plant to winter quarters. You can prepare the African lily for winter by first exposing it to a light frost before bringing it indoors. This will not harm the plant, but it will signal to it that winter is coming soon. Make sure that potted plants are even less hardy than those in the ground and therefore do not wait too long before bringing the plant into the house.
Store the evergreen agapanthus in a cool, bright place that is draft-free. Provide some light by placing the African lily near a window. Reduce watering by watering the plant with one cup of water monthly. In this way, it can compensate for water loss through evaporation. Do not fertilize the plant during the cooler months.
Care for potted plants after winter
The plants want to go outside as early as possible in the spring after the last frost has passed. If the container has burst, now is the time to divide and repot the plant. In the following video you will learn how to do this correctly without harming the plant.
First, let the African lily acclimate to the weather conditions by placing it in a place protected from wind and sun to avoid sunburn, as the leaves are still sensitive at this point. Choose a cloudy day for this.
Also read:Overwintering begonias: This is how the exotic tree survives the cold
