We plant miscanthus on the site: care features

A tropical cereal plant, miscanthus is successfully grown in our difficult conditions. Breeders have bred varieties that are zoned for planting in all regions of the country. Thanks to their work, each grower will be able to grow a 2-meter giant that can decorate the design of a garden plot.

Short description

First, let's take a nod to the overseas flower. Its main data are shown in the table below.

Table. Features of miscanthus

Miscanthus, with good care, develops quickly and increases the mass of shoots.

Grown to decorate the shores of garden ponds and lawns. Depending on the variety, it is resistant to cold or not. Heat-loving miscanthuses are stored in a cool and humid room in winter.

Important! When choosing a variety, be sure to consider its winter hardiness. Some varieties will need to be brought into the house.

Reproduction methods

As a rule, miscanthus settles by dividing the bush. Seed propagation is also used, but this method is fraught with a number of difficulties:

• cold winters and short summers do not allow growing strong seedlings;
• the decorative properties of the mother plant are lost, and the development time of an adult bush is stretched for 4 years;
• it is difficult to collect seed material from mature plants (seeds are very small).

Only recently have several varieties of miscanthus been developed, from which seed is collected. Such varieties are not used for decorative purposes; adult plants are used for fuel thanks to strong stems.

Sowing begins in the fall by planting seeds in seedling boxes. Then the sprouts are separated and planted in separate pots. Only in the middle of spring can the grown seedlings be relocated to a school.

The main method is by dividing the mother bush

We use only three years old, such bushes have a strong root system. We start only after the start of the growth of young shoots, in March-April, and for the middle lane - in May-June.

We carry out the work in several stages:

• choosing a bush, mark out a wide circle and begin to carefully dig out the bush, try to damage the roots less. This work must be done before planting the seedlings, or the seedlings must be placed in a cool, damp place;
• using a sharp knife or pruner, we divide the mother bush into several seedlings. Be sure to cut off all the shoots, this will allow the plant to take root, nutrition will go to the development of the root system;
• after that, we plant the daughter bushes in place.

Do not be alarmed if at first the seedlings are lethargic and sick. Slight developmental delays in the first weeks are normal. The roots are just beginning to penetrate the soil and the plant is not getting enough nutrition. Therefore, it is important to maintain moist and loose soil under the bush and remove leaves and shoots.

Landing place

When choosing a place, we pay attention to the areas:

• with a good level of lighting. It is not recommended to plant miscanthus even in a slightly shaded place, here the heat-loving plant will lag behind in development;
• moist, but not swampy. If groundwater passes close to the surface, long roots will be able to independently provide the bushes with water;
• protected from drafts or constantly blowing wind.

Important! When choosing a placement, be sure to consider the miscanthus variety and how it will look next to other plants.

We plant tall miscanthuses so that they serve as a background, in front of which we plant low-growing bushes and flowers. We plant medium-sized varieties on a grassy lawn, together with other flowers.

Soil requirements

Although miscanthus is not picky about the soil, if the soil on the site is clay or completely sandy, it is better to plant other flowers here. If you want to place miscanthus here, you will have to add a sufficient amount of humus and sod land.

We begin to prepare the soil for planting in the fall. To do this, we dig a hole 500-600 mm deep. With a high level of acidity of the soil, add dolomite flour. To ensure the root subcortex, mix in equal parts humus, compost and sod soil. We fill the bottom with a layer of expanded clay or broken bricks and completely fill the hole with prepared soil.

During the winter, the soil is well saturated with water, in the spring it remains only to select a little soil from the hole and plant a seedling.

Requirements for seedlings and planting bushes in open ground

We will analyze the main questions on the choice of seedlings. Be sure to take into account several factors:

1. If you decide to buy ready-made, adult miscanthus seedlings, be sure to go to a specialized garden store or plant nursery. We buy an adult bush. Young grown seedlings will not be able to develop in a short warm period and will die.
2. Be sure to inspect the bushes before buying. The plant should be free of damaged, lethargic roots and stems or signs of exposure to powdery mildew and other diseases.
3. We check with the managers the winter hardiness class of the variety. Chinese and giant miscanthus with 4-5 frost-resistance zones are suitable for our conditions.

Landing procedure:

1. The volume of the hole should be 3 times the size of the root system. Selecting some land.
2. Fill the hole with water and place the seedling in it.
3. Carefully, in small portions, we begin to fill the hole with earth, periodically pulling the bush up a little.
4. We do not fill up the earth to the very top, we leave 50-60 mm. We fill this space with a layer of mulch using peat, sawdust or deciduous tree bark.

The planting process is over. The time has come to perform simple plant care operations.

Care requirements

Caring for miscanthus is an important manipulation for the growth and development of tall and beautiful bushes. They will not take much time and effort, but it is important to treat them carefully and responsibly:

1. Bushes are demanding for watering. You cannot water the plants with cold water from a well - only warm water heated by the sun gives the plant enough nutrition. In the first days of the growth of seedlings, we water them daily, but in small portions. It is especially important to do this during hot periods.
2. After each watering, be sure to loosen the soil and add a layer of mulch. We do not drive the chopper deep, we loosen only the top layer of mulch and soil. The root system is close to the surface, so it is important to follow this rule.
3. When planting, we supply the bush with a post for tying the stems. Depending on the variety, it may be necessary to prepare a 2 meter support.
4. For proper development, we provide the plant with regular feeding. We begin this work in the second year of the growth of the bushes (in the first year, they have enough nutrition from the fertilizer applied before planting).
5. For protection in winter, we make wooden shields and set them up as a hut. Cover the top with a covering material. Such protection will allow air to pass through to ventilate the bush and will not allow the plant to rot and mold during winter thaws. Such protection is required only in the first 2 years, then the bush will fully adapt to winter conditions. But this rule does not apply to thermophilic miscanthus varieties.

Feeding procedure, starting from the second year:

• at the beginning of active growth, we feed Miscanthus with urea or other nitrogen fertilizer;
• in June, we carry out the second feeding of the plant, you can add a ready-made complex fertilizer with a high humus content;
• in August-September we apply root dressing based on potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

The rules are simple, the care and planting work does not require much time and effort. But the reward for miscanthus lovers will be a 2-meter beautiful shrub with green foliage, pink and silver flowers. The main thing is to love your job.