What are agave plants?
These are a genus of the succulent family common in the hot and arid regions of America though they are also pretty common in the tropical of South America. These plants are pretty easy to keep and do not require a lot of water; they produce flowers, but once in their lifetime. They are pretty easy to keep, but then the question arises why are agave bottom leaves dying? This question will be answered shortly.
Why are agave bottom leaves dying?
There may be multiple reasons for this.
- Pups are forming, and the mother plants redirecting their energy to them.
- Not getting enough sunlight
- Excessive watering.
- Not enough space or any new soil.
Pups are small new are the way the Agave plant reproduces. Everything has its way of bringing new life, and this has to be the most asexual way of getting their generation to the next step. An agave plant is pretty closed off and does not produce any seeds or flowers which can produce pollen and then have them be transmitted to other plants for population increase but instead, they continue their generation by simply producing their generation of mini plants.
These are called pups which can be used and planted the way they are, which then start to grow and thrive on their own. The production of new life is just as hard as anything, and to make sure every little strand is perfect and carried out the best genes, the mother plants do need to concentrate on what needs to be done first, and they do start by giving the pup’s energy, this means the bottom leave does not get enough attention, and they will start to look a little down, they might start to brown and may fall off or can be taken off to help produce healthy pups. This isn’t anything to worry about, though.
Similarities with the cactus and Aloe Vera
The agave plant is a plant that is prone to having an excess amount of sunlight, and they do share a few similarities with the cactus and Aloe Vera, which makes them prone to having characteristics that repent any sort of excessive water evaporation. These need to be given enough sunlight and direct and natural sunlight to thrive off.
They need to be put in places where there is open sunlight so they can feel like they are in their natural habitat and are not being forcefully kept in a shadowing place. If they simply do not get the right type of lighting which is their basic source of energy, they do start to shed or have their bottom leave to survive. They need light from the sun to survive and produce energy which is literally in their anatomy.
Excessive watering.
As I have mentioned before, these plants are a part of the succulent family or have characteristics that reduce evaporation. They have spiky needles at the ends, which makes them very sharp; this type of anatomy makes them lose less water since they do not spread out of the surface area. They simply do not need to lose water. They also have a glossy surface which makes them very easy for the plant to not lose water, and it retains a good amount of water from dew, their roots, rain, and any small bodies of water.
For a plant that can reason water so well, they simply do not require an excessive amount of water to survive. They simply need to be given a simple amount of water that will not clog their small roots. Talking about roots, the Agave plant has very small roots, making them not very prone to sucking up water from the roots. They also require a proper mixture of soil and gravel to ensure the drainage in the pits is sufficient and does not clog the nutrient supply from the plant. So excessive water will make the plant very vulnerable to root rots which can only make the plant die a lot quicker than any other thing. This does initially start with the agave bottom leaves dying.
Not having enough space in a pot.
Though agave plants are pretty easy to manage, they also need initial minute attention to detail, making them thrive a lot more quickly and do not cause havoc and die out. These are sentimental plants for sure; they have what every person and animal has, which is a personality. Though they may be very easy to handle, they certainly do need enough energy to thrive off, and they are mostly planted in soil, but if you do end up with them in soil that is in a pot and if the pot is not big enough they will start to wither their leaves starting from the bottom.
This will be a pattern which they will maintain to retain a small size or energy. Though an agave plant may take long enough to grow and are known as decade plants, they still need their space and need the soil to be changed yearly. With all the things included, they also need soil that can be easily drained, and the plant can make sure it is absorbing only the amount of water it needs. An agave plant is very simple and easy to grow, but small details and certain traits reveal a lot about what they want and when they want it.
How to grow an agave plant after the agave bottom leaves die?
Agave bottom leaves dying does not mean the whole plant is in jeopardy. You can cut off the bottom, which is dying out and throw them away and give the mother plant a little relief from excessively trying to rejuvenate the dying plants. These plants are easy to keep and should not be given the excess of anything to begin with. Keep the water tables low in the soil and give them the right soil to work with. They should not be stuck with absorbent soil, which packs them with wager at all times. This will only make them prone to having rotting roots, which will, in turn, destroy the whole plant. Keep the plant in check and, most importantly, give them a lot of sunlight and place them where they are sufficiently provided with sunlight to work in their way of producing the best kind of results.
How to plant more agave plants?
Agave plants are pretty easy plants, and they are easy to reproduce as well. They don’t mostly reproduce easily when left alone, but an owner can help them out and make great new plants which in turn make more. It’s a continuous cycle that makes more plants out of a single mother plant, but this only happens when the plant pups and flowers are cut right and are not randomly slashed off. Some tutorials exist, and they clearly explain how you should cut off stems and plants them into the soil. There are simple techniques that will help you maintain the plant as well.
Make sure you let them have enough sunlight and a very minimal amount of water, so they don’t end up being waterlogged and made into a sad mess.
How long can agave plants live?
Agave plants mostly live very long lives and are known as century plants. Some of them only produce one flower or offspring before they die out, and there may be different species that make multiple more. These will be easy to handle if the right type of plant is planted into the soil and have the correct type of sunlight and water ratio, also. Don’t forget to change the soil if your agave is in a pot; make it a yearly ritual. It’ll help the plant thrive a lot more.