The miscanthus (bot. Miscanthus sinensis), which comes from East Asia, is extremely decorative and can be used in a variety of ways in the garden. It is ideal as a solitaire on the lawn, but also as a decorative privacy screen from prying neighbors.
How do you use miscanthus as a privacy screen in a pot?
Miscanthus is ideal as a privacy screen in a bucket: choose a suitable variety and a sufficiently large bucket with a drainage layer. Use high-quality potting soil and water the root ball well. In the bucket, the reeds need regular water and long-term fertilizer.
Which miscanthus is best suited as a privacy screen?
You can find out for yourself which of the approximately 20 different types of miscanthus is best suited for your purposes based on a few criteria. If you have a lot of space, then large varieties such as giant miscanthus can also be considered. If, on the other hand, you want a privacy screen for your balcony, then it might be better to choose a slightly smaller variety.
How do I plant a Chinese reed privacy screen?
If you would like to use your privacy screen in a variety of ways and perhaps also use it in a different place, then it is best to plant the miscanthus in one or more pots. Each should be at least twice the size of the respective plant's root ball, at least around 30 liters capacity. Miscanthus grows very quickly, up to five centimeters per day, depending on the variety.
Use high-quality potting soil, then the nutrients will last for some time without additional fertilizing. You may want to mix some mature compost into the soil. Water the miscanthus root ball well before planting and afterwards.
How do I care for miscanthus in a pot?
The miscanthus, which is very easy to care for in the garden, needs a little more attention in the pot. It loves fresh or even slightly moist soil, so it should be watered regularly. If you use a long-term fertilizer (€8.00 on Amazon), then one dose in spring is enough. However, fertilizing is not necessary in the year of planting or immediately after repotting in fresh potting soil. The new soil contains enough nutrients.
The most important things in brief:
- choose a sufficiently large bucket
- Create a drainage layer on the ground
- use high-quality potting soil
- Watering root balls
- Put the plant in the pot
- Cover the root ball with soil at least 8 cm thick
- Water reeds well after planting
Tip
Miscanthus in the pot needs a little more care (water and fertilizer) than in the garden bed or at the edge of the pond.
