Zebra grass – care, cutting and wintering

Zebra grass is one of the rather undemanding plants; however, ideal site and soil conditions should be given so that the plant can develop optimally. The colorful type of grass feels particularly at home in a sunny location. Alternatively, however, partially shaded places can be found in the garden. If the grass is offered too cool locations, growth is still guaranteed; however, in this case no decorative yellow horizontal stripes are formed. Since zebra grass needs a lot of moisture in order to thrive, the bank of a garden pond is particularly suitable as a location.

Even as a solitary plant, the plant offers a high visual appeal and can therefore also be planted individually. Since zebra grass grows very high, the plant can also be used as a privacy screen. In this case, however, a minimum distance of one meter between the plants must be taken into account. However, the plant also feels at home within herbaceous borders; In addition to yellow flowers such as lady’s mantle and gold fox, the glowing grass comes into its own. But also classic locations for trees and other tall shrubs are suitable for the cultivation of zebra grass; Especially in large gardens, the stalks grow particularly well between the red coneflower and spherical thistle.

In addition to the optimal site conditions, soil conditions should also be taken into account so that the grass can thrive:

• The substrate should be permeable and rich in nutrients.
• Humous soil allows zebra grass to thrive particularly well.
• The substrate must never be too dry.
• Sandy-loamy or gravel-loamy substrate mixtures are particularly suitable.
• The correct pH value of the soil also plays an important role: it should be between 4.6 and 7.5.
• The top floor should be at least 36cm thick.

Zebra grass is quite insensitive to a wide temperature range; Even if warm temperatures and a sunny location are clearly preferred, freezing temperatures in winter do not cause problems for the plant. The grass can withstand temperatures of down to -23 ° C and is considered absolutely hardy. The plant shows a high tolerance towards the urban climate.

Watering and fertilizing 

The favorite location of the pond makes it clear: For zebra grass to thrive optimally, the stalks must be regularly supplied with sufficient moisture. If the site generally tends to be dry, regular and sufficient watering must be provided. The substrate should never dry out; The zebra grass also does not tolerate short dry periods. On the other hand, waterlogging should also be avoided. As with many other plants, stagnant water quickly leads to the formation of root rot in zebra grass.
The grass can be fertilized during the summer months. Old compost is best for this. However, zebra grass is considered to be very robust, so that the colorful stalks can do without any fertilizer.

Targeted pruning of the zebra grass

Zebra grass should be cut back once a year. The targeted cut is used for care and also ensures a better look. Basically, the grass should be trimmed generously and cut to just above the ground. In order to determine the right time for the cut, the zebra grass should be examined again and again; as soon as the first fresh green appears from below, which clearly stands out in color from the rest of the grass, the stalks from the previous year can be cut off. To make the work a little easier, the individual blades of grass should be tied together at the top before cutting; this measure prevents the annoying collection of individual stalks after work. After the stalks have been fixed, the grass is cut a hand’s breadth above the ground, making sure that the cut is straight. Particular care should be taken when there are many fresh rejects to be seen. – These must never be cut away!

The right time to cut back the zebra grass is of particular importance. The annual pruning should not be done until spring. There are several reasons for this:

• The blades of grass that are left standing during the winter months offer some protection from low temperatures.
• The late pruning also prevents moisture and frost from penetrating the inside of the plant during the cold and wet season and causing damage there.
• In addition, the grass offers safe quarters for numerous animals during the winter months.

However, the pruning should not be done too late either; this must prevent the grass from sprouting too much. If the right time to cut the zebra grass has been missed and the grass has already grown heavily, extra caution is required. So that new shoots are not injured as much as possible, the blades of grass should now be separated one by one. This work is arduous, but very effective. In this way, the risk of injuring numerous shoots can be kept as low as possible.

After pruning, the zebra grass quickly reaches its original height; usually a lush development can be expected in early summer.

maintenance

If zebra grass is well watered and cut once a year, the crop does not require any further maintenance. The undemanding stalks are particularly lush when fertilized with compost from time to time. This makes it particularly easy to cultivate in pots that can be placed on the balcony or terrace. However, the growth of the grass should be closely monitored, although the stalks are just growing tall as clumps. But if these get too high, the zebra grass can simply be cut off with a spade. In some cases, however, the introduction of a root barrier may also be necessary.

Hibernate zebra grass properly

Zebra grass is absolutely hardy and can withstand temperatures well below freezing point. Minus 20 ° C cannot affect the plant. Because of this, the grass can simply overwinter in the garden without taking special precautions. The underground parts of the stalks, which remain in the ground during the winter months, are responsible for the excellent winter hardiness. These pull all reserves out of the stalks. At particularly low temperatures and a winter with a lot of frost, however, the blades of grass should be additionally protected; for this purpose, the stalks are tied up like a tipi, so that the frost cannot get inside and cause damage. Thanks to this special binding technique, the grass is also well protected against moisture penetration. The stalks offer each other protection, but the outer rows are exposed to the weather conditions in a special way; the edge stalks are therefore often discarded after winter. If the grass is kept in the bucket, loosely tying the stalks together is also suitable to offer optimal protection from snow and rain. However, additional precautions must be taken when cultivating in the tub; here there is a slight risk that the ball of the pot will freeze. Therefore, optimal protection should be ensured at an early stage: to offer optimal protection from snow and rain. However, additional precautions must be taken when cultivating in the tub; here there is a slight risk that the ball of the pot will freeze. Therefore, optimal protection should be ensured at an early stage: to offer optimal protection from snow and rain. However, additional precautions must be taken when cultivating in the tub; here there is a slight risk that the ball of the pot will freeze. Therefore, optimal protection should be ensured at an early stage:

• The bucket should be moved to a location sheltered from the wind.
• A roofed area that provides additional protection from snow and rain is particularly suitable as winter quarters for zebra grass in the bucket.
• The stalks should also be wrapped with an insulating material; a special protective fleece for plants is best suited for this.

Propagation and sowing of zebra grass

The best way to propagate zebra grass is by dividing the roots. The timing for this process should be chosen carefully. So the propagation by division is to be carried out only after the pruning; however, this should be completed before budding. The root balls are carefully separated for propagation. If the roots have grown together very firmly, a knife can also be used. One half is put back into the ground, while the other half is brought to the desired location and reinserted there. It can be used at any time as long as the ground is not frozen. Alternatively, the cultivation can also take place with the help of seeds, which are commercially available. A sunny to partially shaded place with moist soil should be selected as the ideal location for cultivating the zebra grass. If possible, a substrate that is as nutrient-rich as possible should be used. Various options are available for placing the decorative grass; the plant can be planted individually at a distance of about 60 to 80 cm or created as a group comprising between three and five plants. In borders, the grass has a particularly decorative effect between yellow flowers such as lady’s mantle or gold fox, while growing in large garden plants is best done in combination with woody plants and other half-grown perennials. However, the freshly planted zebra grass thrives best on the bank of a small garden pond; In this area there is usually sufficient moisture available to guarantee lush growth of the plant. In addition, the zabra grass has a very decorative effect as the border of a wet biotope and offers numerous animals shelter and safe winter quarters.

Conclusion
Zebra grass enriches every garden and provides a decorative play of colors within the grassy landscape. Undemanding and robust, the plant requires little maintenance. If sufficiently watered and moved to a sunny spot, little attention needs to be paid to the zebra grass. Since the grass is absolutely hardy, few precautions need to be taken to get the plants through the cold season. The zebra grass is also not offended by mistakes in its location; the plant also thrives in shady locations, but does not form any decorative stripes there. Overall, the colorful grass is therefore suitable both for passionate hobby gardeners and for beginners who are just getting their first experience with garden plants.