Planting pampas grass: planting distance and planting time

The pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), which comes from South America, is also very popular in this country. It is particularly decorative in large gardens. The herbaceous sweet grass is persistent and forms large clusters of plants. In the summer months, imposing beige-white, vanilla-yellow or pink-colored flower panicles appear, which also last a long time in vases. The pampas grass is not particularly demanding in its care. The right location and also the time when planting pampas grass are mainly decisive for good growth.

Planting pampas grass

Planting time

Normally, the specialist trade offers the pampas grass in plant containers. In principle, planting is therefore possible during the entire gardening season, from spring to autumn, provided the ground is not frozen.
However, the best planting time is always in the spring after the ice saints, i.e. from the 15th May because

• there is enough time for a robust root system to develop by winter
• Plants can grow well and get used to it
• In winter, freezing temperatures can also be survived well

If possible, Cortaderia selloana should not be planted in midsummer. During this time it is very dry. The pampas grass loves drought. However, dehydration can quickly occur here. Regular watering can help, but it can still be difficult to grow.

tip: When buying, you should make sure that the plants are female that originate from vegetative propagation. In contrast to male grasses, these delight with their great willingness to flower and abundance of flowers.

Planting in autumn is also possible

Of course, you can still plant pampas grass in autumn. However, there is a risk that the wet weather will cause the grass to rot. In addition, planting late in the year can also lead to major frost damage.
With good preparation and appropriate Winter protection however, later planting in autumn is also possible. The important thing here is

• good soil preparation
• Mix in some sand and humus if necessary
• Cactus soil can also be added
• especially with loamy soils
• can lead to waterlogging there in winter
• Dig the planting hole at least 40 cm deep
• should always be twice the size of the root ball
• Enrich the pit with compost
• Choice of a dry, sheltered and sunny location
• Soil should be rich in nutrients and permeable to water
• ideal sandy and slightly stony soil
• Avoidance of waterlogging
• choose the correct planting distance

Just a quick note, Cortaderia selloana can also be safely planted in pots. Here, too, it looks very decorative on the balcony and terrace. Planting can take place here all year round.

tip: Since the leaves are very sharp, injuries can easily occur. therefore keep small children and pets away. Always wear gloves when working on the grass.

Winter protection for new plantings

Winter protection is necessary, especially when planting in autumn, even though the grass is hardy. The roots are not yet very resistant at this point. It is also important to protect the heart of the plant from moisture. Without appropriate winter protection, frost damage can quickly occur.

• Lightly tie the leaves and flower fronds together in a tuft
• Cover the root area with a thick layer of leaves or straw
• additionally apply spruce twigs
• Also wrap potted plants with a thick layer of bubble wrap or fleece
• alternatively overwinter in a frost-free, light place

Plant spacing

American pampas grass is available in different varieties. Depending on that, it can easily reach a height of 45 cm up to 300 cm. The blue-green leaves are usually 100 to 200 cm long and the flower panicles can reach a height of 100 cm and even more during a gardening season. Here you can already see that a relatively large space is required when planting. In addition, the grass is very fast-growing and needs a lot of space to spread. But not only a suitable place is for a good one growth necessary, but also adequate nutrients.

Smaller plants in the immediate vicinity can quickly be overgrown by the pampas grass. Not only that, but the Cortaderia selloana would also receive too few nutrients due to its close proximity to other plants. Therefore, when replanting, the size of the garden should always be taken into account, whether there is enough space available for the imposing grass. The distance is also important in order to avoid injuries yourself. Since the leaves overhang outwards and are also very sharp-edged, the space requirement should not be underestimated. It is therefore a planting distance of

• at least 100 cm, better still 150 cm recommended
• The distance to other plants applies
• even with staggered group plantings or row plantings of the grass
• when planting in a tub, a volume of at least 40 liters is required

This distance to other plants on the balcony and terrace should also be maintained when planting in pots, so that the grass plants can really come into their own.

tip: A special eye-catcher in the garden is a pampas grass planted in the lawn as a solitary plant. Not only does it look very decorative, there is also enough space here to spread out.

Division and replanting in spring

This grass forms clumps. These clumps can become quite large over the years. Sometimes there is no longer enough space. The only thing that helps is dividing and replanting the root pieces. The best time for this is spring, after the ice saints, at the end of May. The procedure is as follows

• Cut down the pampas grass
• Carefully expose the roots
• cut off parts of the root with a spade
• alternatively, divide the root ball into two pieces
• then transplant to a new location
• Maintain a planting distance of 100 to 150 cm
• Water regularly during the growth phase
• Avoid waterlogging
• Start fertilization with compost, alternatively horn shavings
• everything had grown well by autumn

Note: After the division, the flowering can fail completely in the year or only appear sporadically.