Gardening pampas grass
How To Care For Pampas Grass
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Pampas Grass
By: Nikki Tilley, Author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden
Image by AND Inc.
Most people are familiar with the large clumps of lush, grass-like foliage and creamy white feathery plumes of pampas grass (though pink varieties are available too). Pampas grass (Cortaderia) is an attractive ornamental grass that is popular in many landscapes. While they’re extremely easy to grow, however, it’s important to know what you’re getting into before planting pampas grass around the home. Don’t be so quick to plant it simply because it looks good. It’s actually a very fast grower and can become quite large, anywhere from 5 and 10 feet (1.5-3 m.) high and wide, and even invasive.
How to Grow Pampas Grass
Before growing pampas grass, be sure to put it somewhere in the landscape where it has plenty of room to grow, especially when planting more than one. When mass planting pampas grass, you’ll have to space them about 6 to 8 feet (2 m.) apart.
Pampas grass enjoys areas with full sun but will tolerate partial shade. It also tolerates a wide range of soil types but prefers moist, well-draining soil. Another plus side to growing pampas grass is its tolerance of drought, wind, and salt sprays—which is why you commonly see the plant along coastal regions.
The grass is hardy in USDA zones 7 through 11, but in well protected areas, it can even be grown in Zone 6. It’s not suited for cold regions unless grown in pots and brought indoors over winter and replanted outdoors in spring. Due to its large size, however, this isn’t really practical.
How to Care for Pampas Grass
Once established, pampas grass care is minimal, requiring little maintenance other than watering in extreme drought. It should also be pruned each year to the ground. This is usually performed in late winter or early spring. Due to the plant’s sharp foliage, the task of pruning should be done with great care using gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
However, with appropriate measures taken (for clumps well away from homes and buildings), you can also burn the foliage down to the green growth without any harm to the plant.
While not required, pampas grass can be given a balanced fertilizer following pruning to help stimulate regrowth.
Propagating Pampas Grass
Pampas grass is usually propagated through division in spring. Pruned clumps can be sliced through with a shovel and replanted elsewhere. Normally, only female plants are propagated. Pampas grass bears male and female plumes on separate plants, with females being the most common among varieties grown. They are much showier then their male counterparts with fuller plumes (flowers) of silk-like hairs, of which the males do not have.
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How to grow pampas grass |
Discover how to grow pampas grass and you can add this beautifully architectural, ethereal plant to you borders to create dramatic impact.
Pampas grass was hugely popular in the 1970s, after which it became something of a garden cliché, but happily, this most beautiful of grasses is making a comeback and is an on-trend plant for backyards now.
Why grow pampas grass? This drought-tolerant, disease-resistant, fast-growing perennial grass has fabulous, feather-shaped flowers at the end of long stems that make it the perfect focal point – or if you are growing ornamental grasses in your garden, it will make a wonderful addition.
'Pampas has managed to throw off its suburban image and reinvent itself as the ornamental grass du jour. Its popularity has been building for a while now and this transformation means these feathery plumes are officially having a moment. It’s easy to jump on the trend and add one to your garden, either snapping up a plant at the garden center or online,' says garden expert Sarah Wilson. 'Alternatively try growing one from seed indoors as now (February to April) is the time to do it.
They’re easy to grow and in no time you’ll be picking your own to dry.'
A word of warning: pampas grass self-seeds, can grow up to 10ft very quickly, and in some states, it is classified amongst other invasive plants and is banned; once in, the self-seeding means it is also really difficult to get rid of – so do think carefully – and check local laws – before planting it. Below, our expert offer advice on how to grow pampas grass successfully, including controlling growth and safe planting.
How to grow pampas grass
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Growing pampas grass is fairly easy, but there are many considerations to ensure it's a successful addition to your garden. The best time to plant pampas grass is from spring through to mid-June, to allow young plants to establish before winter.
1. Find the best place to plant pampas grass
Pampas grass likes a sunny spot, though it will grow – not quite as happily – in dappled shade, which means it is most successfully grown in zones 7 to 11, though there are hardy varieties that can cope with the climate in zone 6.
Pampas prefers well-draining, moist soil, and needs plenty of space around it – if you are planting pampas as a hedge or as garden privacy ideas, leave at least 6 feet between each plant.
Pampas is tolerant of winds – it looks beautiful swaying in a gentle breeze – and tolerates salty conditions, too, making it a good addition to a coastal garden.
Finally – an important point – 'pampas is extremely flammable so it's vital, particularly in dry climates or in areas prone to wildfires, to grow it away from fences, barbecue areas, wooden garden furniture and houses or outbuildings,' advises garden expert Melanie Griffiths. 'Consider your neighbors, too: pampas grass self-seeds, so planting it away from neighbors' backyards means it's less likely to appear uninvited in their borders, too.'
2. Grow pampas grass from seed
You can grow pampas grass from seed, sowing the seed into pots indoors from February through to April. Once the weather is warmer, transplant the pampas into your border and water well.
Pampas grows fast, so you can expect to it to reach full height within months, though pampas grass grown from seed won't flower for at least two years.
3. Plant out ready-potted pampas grass
If you have bought a pampas grass ready-potted, you have the advantage of a couple of years' growth – and those signature, feathery flowers.
To plant it out, ensure the hole is the same width and height as the plant's root ball, add fertilizer to the hole, put the pampas in, fill the hole with soil, firm down with your foot and water really well.
4. Grow pampas grass in a container
'If you are looking for container gardening ideas, pampas grass is a great option – and in fact, it can be advantageous because its growth will, of course, be limited both in terms of spread and height – though it will still happily self-seed,' advises H&G's garden writer Rachel Crow. 'Again, to grow pampas grass in a container, you will need well drained soil.'
5.
Care for and prune pampas grassPampas grass requires little care once established, though if you are going through a period of drought it should be watered. When the plant is young, watering it once a month will ensure it grows healthily.
That aside, pruning in late winter or early spring – and dividing – will be the major maintenance you need to do. To prune pampas grass, cut it right back near to the ground to create a neat, domed shape; this will ensure healthy growth for the new season. Take the opportunity to remove dead or damaged leaves.
Once that's done, you can feed the pampas grass – the only time in the year it will need it.
6. Propagate pampas grass to create new plants
If your (female – the most common type) pampas grass is getting too large, or if you want to re-site some of it, you can divide it in spring. First prune the pampas to make the job more manageable, then take a shovel to the center of the plant to divide it in situ.
Then simply replant, as you did with the original plant.
Which pampas grass to grow?
The best way to guarantee success is to choose the most common pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) from a nursery that comes with all the information you need about that particular variety, its growth pattern and preferences. Avoid Cortaderia jubata, which is infamous for its weedy appearance and ability to spread.
Size: It's worth paying attention to the plant's eventual size – some can grow as tall as 12ft, while dwarf varieties are much more suitable for smaller backyards.
Plume color: while plumes are the most common, but you can find pampas with very pale pink ones, too, which can look beautiful.
Pampas grass - features of planting, care, wintering
Cortaderia, or pampas grass, looks great at their summer cottage. But for some reason, few grow it. Let's take a closer look at this powerful and at the same time graceful plant.
Pampas grass is a perennial plant of the Cereal family, which is able to form large and dense sods up to 3 m in height and width. In the wild, this herb grows in the pampas of South America and is considered a weed.
The elongated, pointed leaves of the plant hang down under their own weight and thus give the bush a rounded appearance. Pampas grass blooms from August until frost with branched flower panicles of silver, pink or yellow color.
When buying seedlings, pay attention to which cortaderia you are offered. Female plants do not lose their decorative effect even during the rains. Men's with the advent of autumn grow dim.
In winter, pampas grass will perfectly decorate an apartment if its panicles are dried and placed in a vase
Planting pampas grass
Pampas grass can be planted in spring from the end of March. The sooner you plant a plant, the sooner it will take root by the start of the growing season.
The planting hole for pampas grass should be wider than the root system of the plant. Before planting, drainage (gravel, pebbles, broken brick or sand) should be poured into the bottom of the pit, and several buckets of compost should be placed on top of it. Too deepen the bush is not worth it, otherwise the plant may begin to rot.
When planting several plants, keep a distance of 1.5-2 m between them.
Pampas grass is watered into a hole made around the plant. Cortaderia especially needs watering in the summer months, because that's when the growth of green mass occurs.
Pampas grass loves bright light. But, when choosing a place for a plant, give preference to areas closed from the wind.
Cortaderia looks good both on the lawn and in the flower bed. Its fluffy panicle inflorescences perfectly decorate the empty spaces of the site. This grass is also planted near stone buildings. This placement has a significant advantage: the stones give off their heat and contribute to the good growth of the cortaderia.
Near high thickets of pampas grass, a recreation area is often organized: sunbeds and garden benches are placed. Yes, and there will be a lot of trouble with the stratification of seeds, so it's easier to buy seedlings.
Pampas Grass Care
Cortaderia is hardy and can withstand both drought and high humidity. The main care of the plant is systematic watering. And it should be remembered: the larger the plant, the more moisture it needs. On average, one cortaderia bush needs 1-2 buckets of water every 2-3 days.
Annual (early spring) top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer is also important. During the growing season, once every two weeks, you can feed the plant with Azofoska's solution.
Faded inflorescences of cortaderia retain their decorative effect for a long time, so it is better to cut them in spring. At the same time, you need to cut off dead leaves.
Overwintering pampas grass
There is an opinion that pampas grass does not tolerate cold well.
This is not entirely true. It's all about the high humidity of the air and soil. Shelter made of dry grass and leaves, which should be stocked in advance, will help the plant to overwinter.
In November, trim the bush to 30-40 cm or tie the leaves with twine to drain the water. This will make winter easier. After that, sprinkle dry foliage and grass on the soil around the stems with a layer of 40 cm. When grown in the northern regions, additionally cover the pampas grass from above with a film or a warm cloth. Under such shelter, the plant will safely overwinter, even if the temperature drops to -25 ° C.
Popular varieties of Cortaderia
| Variety | Description |
| Andes Silver
| Plant height - 2 m, inflorescences - silvery-white. The variety is relatively cold-resistant, but in the northern regions the plant needs good shelter. |
| Monstrosa
| Grows up to 2 m high. Leaves - gray-green, inflorescences - large, snow-white color. |
| Patagonia
| Relatively cold-resistant plant about 2 m high. Leaves are gray-green, inflorescences are silver-white. |
| Pumila
| One of the most cold-resistant varieties. Plant height is approximately 1.2 m. Leaves - gray-green, inflorescences - white. |
| Pink Feather
| A plant with gray-green leaves and bright pink panicle inflorescences. |
| Rosea
| Height - up to 2 m. Inflorescences - silver-white with a delicate pink tint. |
| Sunningdale Silver
| Plant up to 2.3 m high with silver-white paniculate inflorescences. |
This unusual plant has a place in any garden style. Pampas grass goes well with other cereal crops, and looks good as a "soloist" of a flower garden.
planting, care and cultivation in the open field
Pampas grass (cortaderia or Sello) is considered the queen of grasses. Unfortunately, it is still rare in our country. This powerful grass is most often grown as an ornamental plant, sometimes it is used as livestock feed. Cortaderia shoots serve as a good background for other plants all summer or can play the role of a living screen, hiding unsightly places. It will decorate and transform any site. To accelerate the growth of grass, it is grown in seedlings. How to plant pampas grass and what care to provide for it, we will describe in detail in our article.
Table of Treatment
1.
Description of grass 2. How to prepare the seeds for sowing 3. Planting Cortery with seeds 4. Growing pampasa grass 5. How to properly care for the plant Corteracies. Photo by pixabay/Didgeman
Brief description of pampas grass (cortaderia)
Pampas grass is a type of cereal. A cereal from South America, where it grows everywhere like a weed. In her homeland, the steppes, where this grass and other cereals grow in abundance, are called pampas. Hence the name!
The plant is perennial and decorative. Therefore, pampas grass is actively used in landscape design. The main highlight of cortaderia is its fluffy panicles, which can be painted in different shades. The length of the inflorescence in some varieties can reach up to a meter in length.
An adult plant in our conditions grows from 2 to 3 meters in height and the same width. There are female and male plants. Female flowers are the most spectacular, and male ones are more modest.
Flowering lasts from August to October.
When growing pampas grass from seeds, remember:
- Purchased seeds tend to germinate poorly.
- Approximately half of the seedlings will grow with male flowers, which are less showy&
- The first flowering occurs in 3-4 years.
- In our conditions, it is rather difficult to obtain grass seeds, since they either do not have time to start or ripen.
- Cortaderia is a dioecious plant. Therefore, in order to collect your seeds, it is necessary that you have both a male and a female plant.
If these features do not scare you, then the following describes how to prepare the seeds for planting and how to sow them correctly. Sow seeds for seedlings begin in February or early March. The term depends on the region and the specific site.
It will take 3 or 4 years to wait for the first flowering. Photo by pixabay/Madamdreamweaver
Seed preparation
Cortaderia seeds can be purchased at the store or prepared by yourself.
You can prepare seeds on your own only in the southern regions. They are quite small and light. Before storage, freshly harvested seeds must be dried.
When buying seeds, pay attention to the date of collection. The packs usually indicate the year of harvest. Seed germination decreases over time. Also pay attention to the condition of the pack. It should be dry, without holes or scuffs. The newer and fresher, the more likely the seeds will sprout.
Reference
One mature plant can produce over a million seeds.
Grass seeds must be stratified before planting. 1-2 months they should be in a cold place where the temperature will be kept in the range from 0 to + 4 degrees. Under natural conditions, the seeds undergo stratification when winter comes. At home, you need to imitate this process.
Seed stratification is when seeds are kept under a wet layer at a certain temperature. It is very convenient to stratify the seeds in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment.
Immediately before planting, it is advisable to soak the seeds for 15 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in a Fitosporin solution diluted according to the instructions. After that, the seeds are washed in running water.
Seeds must be properly prepared for sowing. Photo by O. Nikonorova
Planting pampas grass (cortaderia) with seeds in 9steps
The algorithm for sowing seeds for all types of cortaderia is the same:
- It is best to sow in seedling boxes no more than 10 cm high. If there are few seeds, you can sow in plastic containers. There should be drainage holes at the bottom of the container.
- The soil is best used loose, fertile. A mixture of peat, sand and universal soil is well suited. You can add some vermiculite.
- Spread the seeds over the surface, without embedding, in an even layer.
- To spread the seeds evenly, you can mix them with a handful of sand.
- We try to keep the distance between the seeds a little less than 1 cm.
- Then lightly press the seeds to the soil with your fingers.
- Moisturize with a spray bottle.
- Cover the top with a lid, film or glass, simulating greenhouse conditions.
- Place the container in a bright and warm place.
Can also be sown in peat tablets. It is best to put several seeds in one tablet. When they sprout, leave the strongest seedlings. Seedlings appear in 12–20 days at a temperature of +20…+23 degrees.
Follow sowing recommendations. Photo by pexels/Teona Swift
How to grow pampas grass seedlings at home
Crops should be ventilated daily. When shoots appear, you need to gradually increase the ventilation time, and after 3-5 days the shelter is completely removed.
If necessary, moisten the soil with a spray bottle. We do not allow the soil to dry out. When the seedling is small, it can be detrimental to her. Watering is moderate. The pampas grass does not like the bay either.
Picking
Picking is important when growing pampas grass.
When the plants grow 3-4 true leaves, the seedlings can be planted in separate containers. Seedlings dive into larger containers with a diameter of at least 10 cm. After diving for several days, plants need bright but diffused light.
When the seedlings are visibly alive, they are placed on the sunniest window sill. A week after the dive, the first feeding of pampas grass is carried out. It is better to feed with fertilizers in liquid form. It can be universal fertilizers for flowers or fertilizers prepared according to folk recipes. Then we feed 1 time in 7-10 days. The dosage for fertilizer is always better to underestimate a little.
Disease and pest control
Pampas grass rarely gets sick. Its main enemy is high humidity and low temperature. If such conditions have developed and the plant is sick, then it most likely does not make sense to treat it. To exclude the spread of pathogenic microorganisms, the damaged parts of the plant are removed completely. The soil should be replaced and shed with a fungicide.
As such, the plant does not have pests.
7 tips for caring for pampas grass
Cortaderia is easy to care for. This is a rather unpretentious plant that quickly adapts to different conditions:
- Before planting in the ground, at least 2 weeks in advance, the seedlings begin to harden off. Gradually increase the time spent on the street.
- In spring (April-May), seedlings are planted in the ground - only after the threat of return, night frosts has passed. On the street, they begin to actively grow and grow.
- Position the pampas grass correctly in the garden. The best place to plant pampas grass in the ground is in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot. It is good if taller plants grow nearby. There should be no stagnant water in this place. If the soil is heavy, it is necessary to lay a drainage layer when planting.
- After planting in the ground, watering should be regular, as the grass will actively grow the root system.
