VERY CAREFULLY! Hee hee...Sorry, I just had to say it, as it popped in my head first! I don't know of any tools for this, specifically.

I say, by any method without poking yourself in the process. They are not exactly easy to get to ~ no matter in a pot or in the ground. I think an Exacto knife might be the best way to go. I keep forgetting to go get another one (as I can't find the ones I have). Or, see if you can cut a bit from each leaf edge, till you can tear off the middle (still, not easy).

I'll be watching to see if others know of a better way/tool to use.

Yes, rosemarieo, that's for sure! I think what I'm wanting is a laser beam knife -- zap, zap, zap, but that ain't gonna' happen. I thought about a reciprocating saw -- if only the blades were long enough..

Tin snip has the wrong blades, maybe a small lopper like one might use in place of secateurs when wanting to cut small branches a little too resistant for those would work for this job also.

From what I've read, you're not really supposed to remove the leaves until they're dry enough to pull off easily. I think you're right about your pot - too small. This may be what's stressing the plant and causing it to shed leaves unevenly. Anytime before summer would be a good time to repot, as soon as it warms up for you.

Very nice plant.

ack, returns on the tops of pots are evil. I would never put anything but annuals in that shape pot without using a liner. An agave that big in that pot, I would just use a hammer on the pot. Once you get it out, just use a box cutter and a bunch of fresh blades.

This post was edited by nil13 on Sat, Feb 15, 14 at 20:26

One way to make it easier to remove the dried leaves is to snip the tip off first with garden shears, then use the shears to cut down the middle of the leaf through the tip a bit to start a tear point, then tear the leaf in half lengthwise towards the base of the plant. Then you can easily pull each half off sideways and they come off from the stem instead of leaving ragged fibers behind. Long nosed pliers might be handy.

No doubt you all are right about the pot. Lesson learned. Actually it's amazing how well it's done up until now being in full hot Texas sun all summer and exposed to the cold in winter.

Salt creep, thank you very much for the helpful hints. I can't wait for daylight to give it a try. Then come spring I'll try to remove the agave from the pot.

Roselee,

" THIS IS ONLY PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE"

, Now this is only a preventive way to help and it's by cutting them off before they've dried out and that is cutting them while still green, I saw a guy cutting them with a Reg. steak knife and they cut like butter and it beats waiting tell they've hardened up.

I've tried using a saw but that only left them looking like I butchered them up at the ends and it looked very messy, the steak knife gives them a very clean cut and it's super easy.

I've also cut the dried ones with the same Steak knife and I did get better results than with a saw.

Rosemarie, Very careful crossed my mind too :)

hanzrobo, waiting till they dry up then pull off works too especially when your repotting once pulled out of the ground or pot.

The pictures look nice, what I would do is take the plant completely out of the pot and pull those dried leafs off and give it a fresh look & start a little work but it would sure look fresh.
.
Greg

That is one BEAUTIFUL Agave, Roselee! Good advice from all.
I wish you LUCK...and a good pair of leather gloves!! :D

First off I want to thank everyone for their suggestions.

Sadly, the cutting lengthwise and pulling the dead leaves off in sections with plyers didn't work. But twisting the pieces with plyers would finally break the fibers. I cut off some of the still alive damaged leaves which makes the dead ones a little easier to reach. After I got tired doing that I spent most of the morning trimming any damaged bottom leaves from the rest of my agaves with a knife. It was like cutting butter.

Very noticeable is that Agave parrasana 'Meat Claws' leaves had about 6 times as many thick tough fibers as the other varieties of agaves I have growing here. And where on the others the dead leaves would pull off from the stem, they do not on the 'meat claw'. I also realize that the small pot is stressing the plant in question. The other 'meat claws' growing in larger pots and in the ground have hardly any dead leaves. I'll be removing it from the pot in spring and will deal with the dead leaves then.

It's still a favorite agave for it's neat compact shape, blue green color, thorn impressions, cold hardiness, and small size. Plus it offsets just enough to give me more plants.

Again -- thanks everyone!

When they get really dry and fibrous they're really hard to cut.

I've used a portable dremel or multitool to cut them at this point fairly easily.

roselee, Let's hear it for the "STEAK KNIFE" LOl...

The hardest part for me was not letting my wife notice what I was using but it did work like cutting butter which was all that mattered to me at the moment.

Sometimes I trim the leafs at the bottom of the plant while still green to look the same shape as the other leafs to shorten them up and make the plant look more compact, of course the spines & thorns are removed but it looks nice.

Next time I'll send some pictures of what it looks like & what I mean.

Greg

Oops, I forgot to mention that when you split the leaves, you have to start with the oldest (nearest the base) and work your way up. Kind of like peeling a banana in layers. Sorry about that!

Ok this isnt exactly what I wanted to show u but its the 1st one I saw on the way out this morning but it makes room for the other succulents to move in next to the agave :)

Greg

Greg, I see what you mean about trimming the agave leaves back with a nice pointed shape instead of blunt. Very good idea.

Saltcreep, I can understand how peeling from the bottom would be easier. I'll give it a try, but being that it's in a small unsteady pot doesn't help with leverage. After trimming some other agaves yesterday it's very noticeable that the dead leaves on this variety don't let go easily.

Yorkie, I don't know what a portable dremel is. I'll look it up.

Again, thanks everyone!