Indoor bamboo, Pogonatherum paniceum - care from A-Z

Despite the name, the indoor bamboo is not a plant from the subfamily of the Bambuseae. The name is derived from the leaf shape, which is sometimes on bamboo and gives the plant an almost East Asian look. Pogonatherum paniceum is also known under the name Seychelles grass, which indicates the actual shape of the plant more clearly. Caring for the crop is not easy, but the grass is not mimosa.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Pogonatherum paniceum
• Genus: Pogonatherum
• belongs to the plant family of sweet grasses (Poaceae)
• Common names: bonsai-Bamboo, Seychelles grass, bamboo grass
• upright sweet grass, perennial
• Height: 30 - 60 cm
• Leaves: deep green, sharp-edged stalks, tapering to a point
• Flower: small, inconspicuous spikes in a yellowish hue
• Flowering period: June to August
• Origin: from Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan via India, China, Nepal to the Southeast Asian islands such as New Guinea and northern Australia
• not hardy
• lime tolerant
• edible
• is not bamboo despite the name
• Intended use: cat grass
• Young plants slightly poisonous

Location

The space is particularly important when keeping the room bamboo. If all the wishes of the sweet grass are fulfilled, it is resistant and willing to grow. The space for the plant should have the following properties:

• Light requirement: sunny to bright
• Midday sun is not tolerated
• Temperature: permanent 18 ° C - 25 ° C, ideally 21 ° C
• sufficiently high humidity

The most suitable are living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens and rooms that are inhabited and heated in winter. It must never be too cold for the plant. It dies quickly below 15 ° C because it is extremely sensitive to the cold.

Posture in the open air

At a minimum temperature of 18 ° C, you can easily transport Pogonatherum paniceum into the garden or onto the balcony. However, you have to make sure that the temperatures do not fall below 18 ° C. Therefore, south-facing balconies or walls are ideal for trips outside. There, the heat builds up in the wall during the day and releases it to the plant over the night. At the first signs of nocturnal temperatures below 18 ° C, the room bamboo is immediately brought back into the house.

Buy preferred potted plants

In most cases, you will acquire Pogonatherum paniceum as a fully grown plant. It is necessary to see whether the plant is doing well. Check whether the stalks are hanging down or look pale, because then the room bamboo does not get enough water and it is too dry. Check the substrate, whether it is dry or in water. Often you can Pests discover when the plant is too damp or there is a musty smell rising from the pot. Then you should refrain from buying it, because it is usually no longer possible to feed it up.

Substrate

The right substrate for Pogonatherum paniceum is found very quickly. They prefer high quality potting soil that should be as permeable as possible. The plants do not tolerate waterlogging and for this reason the earth must not condense too quickly. The soil is optimized by adding the following ingredients:

• sand
• compost

This ensures excellent permeability and plenty of nutrients, as the plant is very hungry.

Tip: Alternatively, you can use nutrient-rich garden soil, which you have to loosen up a little so that the roots do not suffocate. Sand, coconut fibers or granules are suitable for this.

Repot

Repotting the room bamboo is an important step in maintaining the vitality of the plant. Repotting is necessary when you buy a new specimen from the trade and annually in spring, as Pogonatherum paniceum roots completely through the soil in a short time. When repotting, proceed as follows:

1. Choose a pot that is at least one size larger than the previous one. This gives the plant plenty of room to grow. The pot should have drainage holes and a saucer. Fill the bottom of the pot with gravel or expanded clay to allow a drainage layer that optimizes the water ratio.
2. Now fill the pot with fresh substrate.
3. Pot the plant from the old container and carefully remove the soil from the roots. Be sure to check these for rot and knots and cut them off. This is an important aspect of indoor bamboo care. If you can't remove the substrate just like that, rinse the roots off.
4. Place the plant in the fresh substrate, fill up, water and fertilize thoroughly.

care

The care of Pogonatherum paniceum is easy to implement and even beginners are not overwhelmed with it. As long as the location is right, a large part of the Seychelles grass care is easier because it needs warmth and light for healthy growth. Watering is an important aspect of care, as the substrate of the bonsai bamboo must not be too dry, but also not too moist.

to water

Once you water properly, the room bamboo will be fine. Since he does not tolerate drought, you need to water as follows:

• Never let the root ball dry out
• water regularly
• at least once a week
• Frequency depends on humidity
• Use water with little lime

You should use stale tap water, filter water or rainwater for watering. You can recognize a lack of water by the rolled up leaf tips.

Tip: It is best to spray the room bamboo regularly with water, as the humidity increases, which is very good for it. Alternatively, you can "shower" the plant and make sure that no waterlogging forms.

Fertilize

Room bamboo is quite hungry. The following tips will help you with fertilizing:

• Fertilize every 14 days from spring to autumn
• Use liquid green plant fertilizer
• Administer via irrigation water

You can recognize nutrient deficiencies by discoloration of the leaves and sudden wilting areas.

Cut

You do not have to cut the room bamboo itself. It is enough if you remove dried up stalks over the course of the year and thus support the growth. However, you can trim it back after rot or if the grass grows over your head. To do this, use scissors and trim the grass to the desired length. Make sure to wear gloves when doing this so that you do not injure your hands with the sharp blades.

Overwinter

Pogonatherum paniceum does not need winter quarters. In winter, however, reduce the amount of water. Alternatively, spray the crop twice a week over the cold season. This also keeps spider mites away. No fertilizers are added unless the plant suffers from a lack of nutrients. Then fertilize every four to six weeks. The location should remain bright and temperatures should not fall below 15 ° C. 18 ° C to 21 ° C are ideal.

Tip: You can continue the previous care through the winter if you install plant lamps. This gives them enough light and does not take a break.

Multiply

The propagation of the Seychelles grass is very easy. Not only are there three different options available to you here, you can use them all year round, as the plant spends most of the year in your living space anyway. In Central Europe, however, spring is best for reproduction, as there is enough sun here and the vegetation phase of the adult specimens begins at the end of spring.

Division of the root ball

The best way to multiply bamboo grass is by dividing the root ball:

1. Take a sharp knife that you have cleaned beforehand. Now take the adult plant out of the pot, dispose of the old substrate and prepare a second pot next to the previous one. Both are filled with fresh substrate.
2. Now cut the root ball in half and plant it in the fresh substrate. The grass cannot tolerate more cuts.
3. Finally water and place in a suitable location.

The advantage of this method is the rejuvenation of the plant. The division of the root ball is a real energy boost for the plant and ensures rapid growth and good nutrient distribution.

sowing

1. During the summer, make sure that your room bamboo has ears of corn. Carefully collect them and sow them in cultivation containers with classic cultivation soil. Not too deep, because the seeds are not dark germs.
2. The vessels are then placed in a warm, sunny place. Stretch cling film over the vessels and do not forget to keep the soil slightly moist and open the film lid in between so that fresh air can get to the germs.
3. The seeds only need up to six weeks to germinate. Since germination is not always guaranteed, it is possible that some of the cultivation containers will not sprout seedlings.
4. The seedlings are repotted from a height of ten centimeters.

Runners

Like sowing, this does not always work, but if you are successful you can look forward to a fully grown indoor bamboo sooner:

1. As soon as you notice runners when repotting, cut them off with a sharp, clean knife, wash them and place them in a water glass.
2. The glass is positioned at a location that is dark but warm. Change the water at regular intervals so that the runners don't rot or mold. Make sure that there is enough fresh air available for the space for the water glass.
3. As soon as the first roots can be seen, they are relocated to pots and cared for like adult specimens.

With these three methods you will have a large amount of Seychelles grass available in no time.

Diseases

Like many other sweet grasses, Pogonatherum paniceum is well resistant to a wide variety of diseases and pests. Pests are not really interested in the plant and classic pathogens do not attack the room bamboo. However, there is a big problem when rot becomes noticeable on the crop. Putrefaction is the only result of incorrect care and can lead to the death of the roots within a certain period of time, which interrupts the supply of nutrients to the stalks. Since rot is not easily noticeable, you must act immediately if the plant leaves the stalks drooping permanently:

• Pot the room bamboo
• remove diseased roots
• use sharp, disinfected scissors for this
• prepare fresh substrate
• pot
• do not water immediately

The faster you act, the faster the Seychelles grass can recover and sprout again without perishing. Especially in winter, when it is too cool for the room bamboo, it can rot. You should therefore pay particular attention to the location and the watering so that it is not too wet or too cold. If this is made possible, you can enjoy the pretty grass for a long time without having to worry.

Tip: Pests are not a problem in and of themselves for the room bamboo and only use it as a stopover if you have another plant in your household in your sights. You can fight spider mites and aphids quickly and efficiently with classic home remedies.

Cat grass

The room bamboo is a plant that is often used as a cat grass. The thickness of the stalks and the shape arouse particular interest in cats and rodents to nibble on, but this can be dangerous. On the one hand, as described above, the stalks are extremely sharp and can lead to cuts in the oral cavity. On the other hand, young plants, especially saplings, are slightly poisonous and can lead to vomiting, stomach problems and general malaise in the animal. Therefore, it should not be used as a cat grass and the plant should rather be placed out of the reach of the animals.

Tip: Seychelles grass in its adult state is also not always recommended for cats, as the specimens that you can buy in stores are usually heavily sprayed. The reasons for this are the sensitivity of the plant on long transport routes and the necessary protection against pests and diseases during storage.