The miscanthus is not only particularly decorative as a solitary plant, but due to its height it also fulfills the function of a year-round privacy screen. Its fluffy-looking flower spikes allow seeds to develop throughout the summer. What should you know about the seeds?
How and when do you sow miscanthus seeds?
The seeds of miscanthus ripen between August and September, are extremely fine and brownish to almost black in color. They need moisture and light to germinate and should be sown in a growing medium between February and May.
When do miscanthus seeds ripen?
The maturity of the seeds depends on when the miscanthus blooms. This varies from variety to variety. The ornamental grass blooms between July and September. The seeds are mature aboutfour weeks after floweringand remain attached to the long fronds for a long time. If you want to harvest the seeds, you should observe when an inflorescence develops into a seed head. This happens almost unnoticed with miscanthus. In most cases the seeds are ripe byAugust to September
What do miscanthus seeds look like?
The seeds, which you can harvest yourself or get commercially, lookinconspicuous. They arevery fineso that they can be easily carried away by the wind and support the plant in its reproduction. Each seed is tiny,brownishto almost black in color,oblong, narrow and pointed. Visually they are vaguely reminiscent of caraway seeds.
Do miscanthus seeds tend to self-sow?
The Miscanthusseeds itselfusuallynot by itself Summers in this country are too dry for that. The seeds need consistent moisture to germinate. However, you can take the sowing into your own hands, although propagation by dividing the plant is much easier and quicker.
How are miscanthus seeds sown correctly?
It is optimal if you sow the seeds betweenFebruary and May. First of all, you need a suitable sowing container for sowing this sweet grass. Ashallow bowlis sufficient for this. Fill the container with a growing substrate and press it down. Next, the substrate is generously and thoroughly moistened. The seeds can now be distributed. It is important that the seeds are not covered with soil, as they areLichtkeimer.
What is essential during the germination of Miscanthus seeds?
Only when temperatures are between20 and 25 °Cand correspondinglight conditionsdo the seeds of miscanthus germinate. Therefore, place the cultivation container in a bright and warm place. To prevent the substrate from drying out, you should cover it withfilm Germination of the seeds from this reed occurs after about two to three weeks. The small plants can be pricked out later and planted out in summer.
Tip
Keep the seeds constantly moist – but how?
It is not only important to moisten the growing medium before sowing, but also to keep it moist over the next few weeks. A spray bottle can be helpful for this. The foil placed over the cultivation container should contain a few holes and be removed every two days for effective ventilation and thus to avoid mold.
