Ornamental grasses are a wonderful plant to grow in any landscape. They have grown in popularity and you can easily find a variety that is hardy in the U.S. Department of Agriculture zones where you live. Some ornamental grasses have sterile seed. The only way to propagate them is by division.
You can plant ornamental grasses in containers, beds, or borders. Some varieties grow tall enough to provide you with a screen for privacy. Most plants are drought tolerant and deer resistant.
You can buy ornamental grasses already growing in the nursery, in catalogs or online, but why not save some money and grow your own. They are so easy to start from seed.
I love the ornamental grasses. In the winter, it gives you a visual interest. When the wind blows, the grass makes a rustling sound that is rather soothing or calming to your spirit.
Buy the kind of ornamental grass seed that you want to grow Make sure that it is hardy for your planting area. The best time to start sowing your seeds is four to six weeks before you want to set them outside in your garden area.
Moisten your potting soil. The potting soil can be a bag purchased at the garden supply store, or you can mix your own by combining equal amounts of compost, peatmoss, and perlite.
I usually cover my worktable with a tarp or you can use an old plastic tablecloth. You can even put the soil into a bucket. Use whichever method works best for you. Pour the potting soil on top of the tarp. Sprinkle the soil with some water. You only want to dampen the soil, not make it soggy. Mix the soil and water with your hands. Test the soil for moisture, by picking up some in your hand and squeezing. Open you hand. What does the soil do? If it falls apart, you need to add a little more water. If it is squishy or water drips out between your fingers, you’ve added too much water. The soil should remain in a ball on your palm.
Fill a seed tray with moistened potting soil. Thinly and evenly, scatter the ornamental grass seed over the top of the soil. You don’t want to puddle the seeds together, or they will be hard to separate when it is time to transplant them.
Press the seeds into the moist soil with your hand or a board that fits inside the seed tray. The seed coat needs to have firm contact with the soil in order for the seeds to germinate. For your variety of ornamental grass, read the planting specifications on the package to see if the seeds need to be covered with soil or vermiculite. . If the package does not say, ask your local greenhouse professional, county extension agent or talk to someone where you purchased your seed.
Location
Place the seed tray in a bright location, but not in direct sunlight or it will be too hot for the seeds to grow. If you have a grow light, you can use that instead. Turn the growlights on for 8 to 12 hours a day. Turn them off during the nighttime. Keep the growlights 3 to 6 inches above the soil or the tops of the plants when the seeds germinate. Ideally, the soil temperature should remain around 55° Fahrenheit during the nighttime hours and 72° Fahrenheit during the day. Sometimes we can’t control the soil temperature that well unless we use a heat mat, so if you can keep it around 70°Fahrenheit, the seeds will still germinate.
Check the soil for moisture and mist it to keep the soil evenly moist. The seeds should germinate in two or three weeks. Remove the sheet of plastic when the seeds have sprouted.
Continue to grow and care for the seedlings until they have two sets of true leaves. Transplant them into 4-inch pots filled with moistened potting soil. When all danger of frost is past, plant the ornamental grass outdoors in the prepared ground.
