How do I separate these baby offshoots from the mom?

[lindasgarden]

Several years ago, I planted a single (1' diameter) agave parryi (AKA blue agave) in the middle of a large 2' diameter container. Over time (and with a lot of neglect), many baby offshoot agaves arrived and are now severly crowding the "parent" agave.

Can someone provide advice on how to safely remove the offshoots? What tools should I use (shovel, electric hedgcutter, heavy leather gloves)? Do I try to remove all plants from pot, cut the babies off with a shovel and then replant the parent? Do I need to apply a salve to the cut parts?

I am sorry that I was unable to post a photo.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your advice.

Linda

[Gary350]

You have the type of Agave with a rhizome roots systems. Dig down and find the root to the mother plant and cut the connection to the baby. The baby may have a root going to several more babies plants. Roots will travel out 20 feet in all directions in the yard and make 100s of babies. Cut the main root between all the babies. They will have smaller roots from the main root going down and out into the soil. This time of the year weather is cool and wet so your pretty safe to go ahead and dig up the babies, transplant them to pots or other places.

Some types of Agave make babies from the roots and other type of Agave send up a stalk with about 600 to 800 babies on it. I have both kinds in Blue Agave, Varigated Agave, Green Agave.

I have about 2000 babies in boxes of 100 plants per box selling on ebay $12 per box while they last. I just finished putting about 100 blue agave babies in pots.

[lindasgarden]

Hi Gary350,

Thank you so much for your reply. I will get out my shovel this weekend
and try not to do too much damage. I appreciate the advice.

Linda