Miscanthus
When to plant: from the end of March to the end of June.
Where to plant: a sunny spot or a place in light shade.
This unpretentious perennial grass forms large bushes from 80 cm to 2 m high. The plant is particularly decorative due to its straight shoots, at the ends of which are fan-shaped brooms of spikelets from 10 to 30 cm long. There are about 40 varieties of Miscanthus. Its leaves can be coloured in different shades of green, and the fluffy ‘flowers’ are white, pink and golden. Depending on the species, it blooms from August to October.
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To plant miscanthus on your plot, choose ready-made seedlings. Seeds in the open ground may simply not germinate. In regions with a cold climate, give preference to seedlings that are at least 2 years old. Younger specimens risk not taking root by autumn and poorly tolerate the first wintering.
For planting, dig a hole in the ground slightly larger than the volume of the pot with the plant, take the miscanthus out of the container, place it in the hole and fill the voids with fertile soil. Water the bush abundantly. With further care, make sure that the soil around the plant was always moist.
Sagebrush
Ornamental grasses: wattle
When to plant: in May or October-November.
Where to plant: a sunny spot.
This perennial grass forms neat bushes no more than a metre high. As a rule, its green leaves are twisted into a tube. Around May, it produces many inflorescences with fine hairs up to 2.5 cm in size. They form a luxuriant, weightless cap at the top of the bush and sway spectacularly at the slightest breeze. Flowering usually starts in May and lasts for about two months.
For planting, dig the soil on the plot half a spade’s bayonet and thoroughly level its surface with a rake. Place 3-4 seeds at a distance of 20 cm, sprinkle them with a 0.5 cm layer of soil and tamp it down with the palms of your hands. Moisten the seeds abundantly with water from a watering can with a nozzle-disperser. Sprouts will appear in about 4-5 days. After that, moisten the soil around the sprouts as the top layer dries out. The mature bushes tolerate drought and heat and only need watering if there is no rain for a long time.
