The strikingly striped stalks that give zebra grass its name are impressive at first glance. You too will probably fall for the extravagance of the Far Eastern plant. The grass looks particularly beautiful when it borders a garden pond. However, you don't have to buy tons of plants from the nursery. A single plant and the knowledge of how best to propagate it are enough to grow a whole herd of zebra grass around your garden pond inexpensively.
How can you successfully propagate zebra grass?
Zebra grass is best propagated by dividing the root ball. To do this, dig up the ball, remove rotten or dried roots, divide the ball and plant both halves in the desired locations. The ideal time is in spring.
Propagate zebra grass by division
Zebra grass is best propagated by division. Only a few steps are required for this procedure:
- dig up the root ball
- look at the root ball and remove any rotten or dried roots if necessary
- now divide the bale. Either use your bare hands or use a sharp knife or spade
- plant one half back into the ground immediately after division
- You finally plant the other half in the desired new location
Alternative: root cuttings
This alternative method has both advantages and disadvantages. The procedure is similar to the division of the root ball described above, except that you do not cut it in half, but rather remove as many root strands as you like. The advantage in this case is that you can grow several new plants at once and plant them in the ground in different places. The disadvantage, however, is that you have to wait longer for sprouting due to the reduced development of the root strands.
Propagation by sowing?
A third option is to sow your own seeds. However, this method is less recommended if you expect guaranteed success. The new growth does not always have the stripes typical of zebra grass. If you still want to try it, follow these steps:
- Prefer seeds
- store in a bright place and water regularly
- repotting the first shoots
- plant outside in spring
Time
Spring is the best season for propagating zebra grass. At this point, your zebra grass should have been growing for at least three years so that the root ball can cope with the cut. The division then takes place after pruning, shortly before the grass sprouts.
