[Arid_gardener] Drying Blue Agave

[Olin Miller]

----- Original Message -----From: "Phil R" <reachphilr at yahoo.com>
> The agaves planted along the freeway in Phx are all dieing. They fall
> over limp.
> Could you speculate as to what is causing this
> Phil
============================================

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Jorgenson" <felix.mac at mac.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 11:21 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Drying Blue Agave
> I'm loosing all the Blue Agave in my yard.  I planted them  7 years
> ago and they have thrived on minimal water and attention.  Most , but
> not all of them are on a drip system.  This spring the new sprouts
> were cut or pulled out around the "parent" plant just as we have done
> every year.  Since then they are yellowing beginning from the outer
> leaves that wilt until eventually the entire plant  literally falls
> over as though we cut them off at the roots.   Did we prune them to
> aggressively?     Is there some other reason these formerly healthy
> looking plants have taken such a drastic turn for the worse?  Can I
> do anything to prevent loosing them all.   They are not mushy and
> stinky as I heard can happen with Agave.
> Thanks for giving my concern your attention.
> Mary J.
> Scottsdale, AZ
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From:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pipermail/arid_gardener/2005-November/003086.html

" ...A  common problem this time of year is damage due to the agave snout
weevil.  The adult weevil,  a crawling insect that appears to have wings but
can't fly, lays her eggs between the leaves of the plant at the onset of our
warm summer weather (occurs in April-May here).  The eggs then become grubs
that eat the plant tissue which becomes exposed and susceptible to bacterial
infection that causes the plant to rot and fall over.  The broader-leafed
agaves appear to be more susceptible.  Many people say that the plant is
more susceptible to weevil damage when the plant is about to send up the
inflourescent flower stalk and will die soon anyway.  My experience is that
the weevil is not so discriminating.

For more information, see
http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/bugs/agave-wv.htm

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer
U of A Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County AZ