Pampas grass not only looks great in large beds, but also in pots. We show what needs to be considered when planting pampas grass.
If you have decided to add one or more pampas grasses (Cortaderia) to your garden, it is important to find a suitable place for them. The ornamental grass is used outdoors or planted in sufficiently large tubs to put it on the terrace or balcony.
Planting pampas grass: When to plant pampas grass?
Pampas grass can be planted all year round in the garden. Planting in late spring after the last frost is ideal. Then the grass has enough time to get used to its new location and to grow as well as possible before the next winter. If you decide to plant in autumn, there is a risk that the pampas grass will rot due to the increasingly humid weather or even suffer frost damage. Well prepared and protected, planting later in the year is also possible.
Planting pampas grass: The perfect location
Pampas grass needs a warm location with as much sun as possible. The chosen place should be sheltered from the wind so that the long stalks of the flowers do not bend. The ornamental grass must have enough space to spread. Because its plant clump can reach diameters of one meter and more.
The pampas grass needs a nutrient-rich soil that is also well drained. If the soil is too hard, you can mix in sand or small pebbles. The addition of pebbles or sand has a draining effect and thus prevents waterlogging. So that the ornamental grass is well cared for right from the start, it is advisable to mix in a good dose of compost or long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer when planting.
Planting pampas grass in a pot
It is also very decorative if you use pampas grass to decorate terraces and balconiesplant a bucket or pot. Only in the apartment should you not necessarily accommodate the ornamental grass. There you will rarely find a place that provides enough light, and the indoor climate is also not good for the plant in the long term. An ideal place for the tubs is the south side of the house.
Pampas grass in a pot: Suitable substrate
If you plant pampas grass in a pot, the plant substrate should ideally consist of garden soil, sand and hummus or compost. In this way, all the conditions for good growth are met. If you would like to use a ready-made potting soil mixture, you can use a high-quality universal soil such as our peat-free Plantura organic universal soil or special soil for ornamental grasses. The most important thing is a permeable structure that allows air and water to fully penetrate the substrate.
Pampas grass in a pot: overwinter successfully
The easiest way is to put the pampas grass in a bucket in a suitable, frost-free and at least partially bright room so that it can overwinter there without being damaged. From time to time it should be watered.
If such a possibility is not available to you, then the tub is packed thickly with bubble wrap and the rest of the plant is tied together at the top and wrapped with fleece. It is advisable that the tub is placed on a movable plant tray from the start.
Planting pampas grass in the bed: procedure in 5 steps
In the following we will show you step by step how to properly plant pampas grass in your own garden.
- You are looking for a suitable place. You should make sure that the soil is rich in humus and loose and permeable to water and that the grass is sunny and sheltered from the wind.
- Then dig a large enough hole. The volume of the planting hole should be at least 50 liters.
- Water well when planting, but do not cause waterlogging.
- Put the excavated soil back in the planting hole and only slightly solidify - the rest will settle through rain and watering.
- Plant the next plant in the same way at a sufficient distance (1 − 2 m).
After planting is before care: how to cut the pampas grass correctly so that it is protected in winter but also sprout lushly year after yearCheck out our article on cutting pampas grass.