Reed is very easy to care for, which makes it a popular plant for the garden and pond greening. Nevertheless, you should pamper it a little every now and then so that it grows nicely and evenly.
How to care for reeds in the garden?
Caring for reeds includes regular watering, fertilizing with compost if necessary, tying up in winter and cutting back the dried stalks in spring. Reeds are hardy and do not require any extra winter protection.
Not all reeds are the same
Reeds are colloquially used to describe different plants that also differ in their location and care requirements. In general, reeds mainly refer to three different types of reeds:
- Reed
- miscanthus
- Bulbs
A comprehensive overview of the subspecies and their special features can be found here.
While reeds and cattails need swampy soils and usually grow on the edges of ponds, the sweet grass Miscanthus is often grown on beds.
Care for reeds
Reed as pond planting basically requires no care at all. If the reed's roots are in water, you don't need to worry about watering. The nutrient supply for pond plants is usually provided by the fish and rotting plant parts in the water. Reeds are hardy, so you don't have to worry about overwintering.
caring for Miscanthus
Miscanthus is also quite easy to care for, but should be watered regularly. However, the decorative sweet grass usually survives even short dry phases without any damage. During the main growth phase, i.e. in late spring, Miscanthus is happy about a portion of compost (€12.00 on Amazon). Further fertilizer applications are not necessary. Miscanthus is also hardy and does not require winter protection.
Prepare for winter
Before the first cold snap, it makes sense to tie the reeds together. This prevents the dry grass from breaking off and protects the roots from frost. Under no circumstances should you cut back the reeds before the onset of winter! Pruning only takes place in spring. The reed does not need winter protection as it is well hardy.
All reeds need pruning
No matter which type of reed you choose, reeds should be radically cut back in spring. Only use the scissors when frost is no longer expected and cut the dried stalks down to just above the ground. It is important that the reeds do not sprout yet, otherwise you will destroy the new shoots and slow down growth enormously. Spring is also the best time to plant new reeds. You can find further information and helpful tips for pruning here.