Agave Tequilana: How to Grow Blue Weber Agave
A daring husband and wife team in Sonoma county—Laurie and Adam Goldberg... Photography by Adam Goldberg, courtesy of Stargazer Spirits. Blue Weber Agave, Agave tequilana ...co-founders and owners of Stargazer Spirits—is experimenting with large-scale agave farming by planting test blocks on approximately six acres of varying soil types, with blue Weber as one agave variety. They are deep in the learning stage, so I reached out to Laurie for advice and insights into growing blue Weber agave, a historically significant succulent. A field of blue Weber agave growing bigger and stronger every year. First, a little backstory about blue Weber agave: The Greek word that agave comes from is Agavos... ...which translates to illustrious; in Greek mythology, Agave was the goddess of desire. Today, Jalisco remains the source of the best and the majority of tequila. We’d hoped that Agave tequilana would be a low-water, low-maintenance, set-it-and-forget-it plant for us... ...but in fact it requires more water than any of our other agaves (though still around 75 percent less than what grapes need on a per-acre basis),” shares Laurie. Blue Weber agave (and an inevitable visitor) at Stargazer Spirits. The Goldbergs are also trying to see what thrives in what soils without significant amendment. In its hometown of Jalisco, this agave grows in sandy, well-draining soil at altitudes of 4,500 feet or higher. If you live in a colder climate, consider growing this succulent in a pot that you can bring indoors during the winter. “Blue Weber agave prefers the volcanic blocks, likely due to the mineral content in the soils but also because the soils are sandier and looser,” shares Laurie. Standing bold and sharp at Stargazer Spirits.