- Which types of ornamental grass are suitable for the balcony?
- Casting - the top priority
- Fertilizing - secondary and yet important
- Cut down deciduous ornamental grasses in spring
- Hibernation: Important to prevent frostbite
Whether on the wall in a bucket or in the front of the balcony box in the middle of a sea of flowers - ornamental grasses make balconies look natural, lively, elegant and at the same time wild. Which types are suitable and how do you care for them?
Ornamental grass on the balcony needs a lot of water
Which types of ornamental grass are suitable for the balcony?
There are plenty of ornamental grasses that you can plant on your balcony. The only things you should not plant on your balcony are sprawling specimens such as the giant sedge, pampas grass and elephant grass. However, these types are well suited:
- Dwarf Bamboo
- feather bristle grass
- rush
- Japanese forest grass
- fescue
- sedges
Casting - the top priority
On the balcony, an ornamental grass needs to be watered regularly. Some species tolerate short periods of drought. But many are dependent on even and lasting moisture, such as Chinese reed. It is ideal if you can use lime-free or stale irrigation water.
Fertilizing - secondary and yet important
If you repot your ornamental grass every year in a new container with fresh soil, you do not need to fertilize it. But if you don't do this, you should fertilize your ornamental grass sparingly every 4 weeks between April and August. Conventional liquid fertilizers are suitable for this, but they should only be used in half doses.
Cut down deciduous ornamental grasses in spring
With deciduous species, you can leave the old parts of the plant over the winter or cut them down. If you place the plant against the wall of the house, you can cut it down in the fall. If it stays in the balcony box and is relentlessly exposed to the weather, it should keep its plant parts until spring.
After pruning in spring, the ornamental grass can be repotted. The new pot should be twice the size of the root ball. It is recommended to distribute expanded clay (19.73€) in the area of the bottom of the pot. This ensures good drainage.
Hibernation: Important to prevent frostbite
Ornamental grasses in buckets on the balcony should be protected in winter. Cover the pot with fleece, foil or jute! Then place the pot on a wooden or styrofoam base. A hibernation location on the wall of the house is ideal.
tips
It is best to plant ornamental grasses on the balcony or terrace in late summer. Late summer is the best time to plant them.