Sedge from seeds. Sedge, planting and caring for cool lovers in the home garden

12.09.202327.05.2017

Among the wide variety of ornamental grasses, sedges occupy not the least place. They are quite suitable for creating a fashionable flower garden that requires minimal care. Their popularity when arranging a garden in a natural style is undeniable. Sedges, however, like other ornamental grasses, bring balance, calmness, and add naturalness to compositions. Due to the wide variety of shapes, they are used as solitaires, backgrounds, etc. They are good in mixborders. Almost all ornamental grasses are unpretentious, tolerate dry soil, and withstand the scorching sun and deep shade with dignity. Their fresh green shoots are a delight to the eye in early spring. They look interesting in autumn and winter. Dried ornamental grasses are very beautiful when their leaves are strewn with frost or snow. Even in summer, covered with thick dew, they are delightful.

Types of sedges
In Japan, these plants are very popular; they are used along with irises, hostas, and maples in traditional gardens. And why be surprised, because the modern assortment of sedges is very large.
Hairy sedge has thin, drooping foliage that resembles hair. The height of the grass is about 60 centimeters. It's great for.
Sedge Bushana one of the most famous and unusual garden plants. Its evergreen leaves are copper-brown in color. Grass height is 50-75 centimeters. It looks amazing near the water, among the conifers.
Sedge ohimenskaya– evergreen. It got its name from its black-brown spikelets. They resemble a bird's trail, as they are arranged in threes. This plant forms small (up to 15 centimeters high) tussocks of narrow foliage. Ochimen sedge is used in containers and borders.

Unpretentious species
Sedge cushion is a small evergreen perennial that forms dense cushion-shaped sods. The plant is extremely unpretentious and grows on almost any soil. Undesirable growth on very acidic and soggy soils. You can plant cushion sedge in the shade and in the sun. It is especially good on screes and in rock gardens. The most common variety is " Varieqata". The color of the leaves is white-yellow.
Gray sedge- ground cover plant. The grass is valuable because it can grow on poor, dry soils. Its foliage is thin, often blue, and evergreen. The height of the plant is about 15 centimeters. It grows well on any substrate. Blue sedge is used to stabilize slopes. Eremurus and feather grass are suitable as companions for her. We should also not forget that this type of sedge is very aggressive.

This choice is also approved by landscape designers, who do not advise choosing exotic species with “flashy” coloring. Although it is sometimes difficult to understand simpler seedlings, there are a huge number of them on offer. To bring a little clarity to this issue, let’s find out what it is decorative sedge, what varieties are best accepted in the country.

Varieties of decorative sedge

If you thoroughly study nursery catalogs, you can count about 150 different varieties of this plant. They can be divided into two groups: tall and short. “Representatives” of both types are successfully used for garden decoration.

Among short The most popular lines are:

Beatles (listed in catalogs as Hybrida The Beatles). One of the most spectacular species - rather long (up to 15 cm) narrow leaves are collected in a dense rounded tussock with a circumference of 30 - 40 cm. The leaves retain their color even after winter.
It grows to a maximum of 15 cm and is distinguished by the rich green color of its leaves. It grows quickly without requiring careful care.

tall

Did you know? Landscape design in its current form appeared only in the twentieth century. Before this, people also decorated their plots and gardens, but only 50-60 years ago this hobby received a powerful impetus for development - city dwellers wanted to be closer to nature “without interruption” from their home or dacha.

Application in landscape design

Noticeable and at the same time “natural” in appearance, decorative sedge is actively used in landscape design.

Of course, its main area of application is design of reservoirs. The plant is readily accepted on the banks, and the slightly lowered tops of tall varieties only emphasize the natural appearance of a lake or canal - at such moments it seems that nature is “thinking.”

can be used for the following purposes:

Designs Particularly impressive in this regard are low-growing ground cover lines covering the soil between the stones. For a better effect, you can plant a couple or three taller sedges closer to the center or along the edges of the composition.
Layouts of a large area Here the location can be angular, so as not to obscure smaller species planted in the neighborhood.
Decorative sedge is also ideal for decorating shady areas of the garden. Most often, low-growing varieties are planted nearby, which visually complement their foliage with their greenery.
Evergreen lines are suitable for joint planting with primroses. This creates the impression of constant growth. The only thing is that the sedges should not dim the light supply to the neighboring young growth.

Did you know? The legendary Versailles Park covers an area of 600 hectares. It is noteworthy that at the beginning of its “career” (XVII century) the massif occupied much more - about 1700 hectares. But then came the era of urbanization, and some of the plantings died.

If you don’t have enough time for such large-scale redevelopment, don’t despair: perennials can be planted in pots or containers. By placing them in a dense group, you will also achieve a good visual effect. The main thing is not to make a mistake with the container. A pot will suffice for a low bush, while a tall bush that will wilt over time will need a larger container.

Selecting a location

When choosing a site for planting, you need to remember the characteristics of a particular variety. Marsh sedges will grow only on moist soils with the presence of sand. Other lines will also work on drier soil (of course, it will have to be moistened regularly).

It’s not a bad idea if the soil has been fed with peat since the fall, or so it will be easier for the plant to get used to it.

There are also lighting requirements. Not everyone can achieve the ideal lighting conditions, but that’s okay – it’s kind of the compromise would be light partial shade.

It's the same story with the wind. Arctic species tolerate strong and prolonged winds well, but others need a calmer place in this regard.

When planning planting, take into account the fact that sedge The roots grow very quickly, which can literally reach the rhizomes of other plants within a season. Therefore, they try to keep them at a distance.

Planting and propagation

Planting sedge in open ground is very simple - anyone can do it. The work progress will be as follows:

Small grooves are made in the heated soil. Their depth may vary depending on the size of the planting material - 3 cm is enough for achenes, but for seedlings they take it deeper, with a reserve for the growth of rhizomes.

Important! Clay pots are suitable as containers - plastic may be too toxic for young sprouts.

After slightly moistening the holes, you can fill them with a thin (0.7-1 cm) layer of sand or peat.
After this, the seedlings or seeds are placed in the furrow and sprinkled with earth, not forgetting to compact it tightly and moisten it.

This procedure is carried out at the end of April or beginning of May, when there is no risk of repeated frosts.
Some people also practice pre-planting, which means this is more complicated:

At the end of February or early March, a spacious pot is taken. It is filled with a mixture of leaf and turf soil, peat and fine river sand (all this is added in equal parts). In order for such a substrate to “breathe”, add a little
At the same time, the achenes are placed in boiled water for 12 hours (swamp varieties will require a day). The water in such “baths” is changed every 2 hours.
After these manipulations, the seeds are placed on the soil and sprinkled with a thin (0.5-0.7 cm) layer.
The pot itself is immediately covered with glass or film. They should not touch the ground. It is placed on a radiator or boiler - bottom heating and constant +22°C are required.

Did you know? If we compare the appearance of noble estates at the beginning of the twentieth century with the current “canons” of landscape design, we will find an almost complete coincidence. The combination of utilitarian and decorative species with the obligatory pond was even then considered a sign of good taste.

The substrate is kept moist; until shoots appear, a spray bottle is used for such purposes - “direct” pouring is currently prohibited.
Periodically, the seeds are ventilated by removing the film for 1-2 hours. This will prevent them from rotting.
The sprouts may “fight back” in a month or two. The grass that has gone into growth must be picked up and placed in another container. By the beginning of May, the roots will have become stronger, and replanting to the site will be successful.

A simpler propagation method - This method is well known to experienced flower growers, and it will not present any difficulties for beginners:

In the spring, during active growth, a plant with several powerful stems is dug up.
Having washed away the clod of soil from the rhizome, carefully examine the “pad” itself - it should be healthy, without ulcers or spots of rot.
If the central root is healthy, it is divided into several parts with a sharp knife. The lateral growths are separated with the same method (although you can carefully tear them off with your hands). You shouldn’t “crush” the root too much - too small buds run the risk of not being accepted.
Places of cuts are sprinkled with charcoal in powder form. In this way, rot is prevented from developing. Some people make do with activated carbon - it is also suitable for disinfection.
The resulting seedlings can be placed on the ground immediately or after a 10-day “quarantine” in separate pots. All this time, the container is kept cool and in the shade, watering the substrate abundantly.

Important! When planting sedge near the path, the seedlings are placed so that in the future it will not scratch passers-by with its hard stems.

The first season after such a division, the seedling will only be getting used to it, and the expected riot of colors is not always observed. But next year he will quickly return to normal.

As you can see, decorative sedge is relatively simple in terms of planting and growing, and the same can be said about seasonal care.

Features of care

The maintenance of sedge in the country house or in the garden comes down to all the usual work. But despite their simplicity, they are associated with some nuances that are worth recalling.

Watering

Main condition - abundant and frequent watering. It is undesirable for the soil to dry out and become crusty and cracked. In the summer months, the perennial is moistened 2-3 times a week. One bush can require a 10-liter bucket of water.

If you skip a couple of scheduled waterings, the result will be visible immediately - the leaves instantly turn yellow at the edges, and growth is inhibited. In addition to this, the roots begin to weaken.

With specimens growing in containers, the matter is somewhat simplified - the tub is often placed directly in water, making sure that the roots do not become waterlogged.

Separate topic - water quality. Sedge is extremely sensitive to it: too hard, chloride or technical liquid (which is often served at dachas) can destroy the root. In such a situation, it is better to use settled water. Within a week, harmful compounds will settle at the bottom of the barrel, and the water can be used.

Did you know? The fashion for decorative mini-gardens came to us from Japan. Many plants also “migrated” from there.

Distilled and melt water are also suitable. Boiled is also okay, but for a large array of plants this is a rather expensive option.

Top dressing

It is carried out every 2-3 weeks, simultaneously with watering.

Usually, organic compounds like rotted or rotted are added. Use also gives a good effect.
But such means must be comprehensive - for example, an advantage to the side

If you want to grow exclusively ornamental grasses on your property that won’t require frequent care and maintenance of flowering, then sedges are a good option!

All sedges are perennials, but they can overwinter in the ground mainly in zones 6–7. In our conditions, they can be stored in a bright, cool room and even divided in the spring.

Types and varieties of sedges differ in the length, width and color of the leaves, as well as the shape of the plants. The shape of the bush depends on the density of leaves and their type of growth. There are leaves that grow upright, with drooping ends, forming arches and lying completely on the ground.

The best varieties of sedge

(referred to as C. albula or C. comans) - plants that form a dense bush, 15–25 cm high and up to 35 cm wide with silver-green, narrow, flowing leaves. They winter up to zone 6. Grow from seeds.

(C. comans) - plants 15–30 cm high with narrow red-brown leaves, strongly curved and as if forming a wide fountain. They winter up to zone 6. Grow from seeds.

Camara(C. brunnea) - plants up to 35 cm high with a dense bush of not wide green leaves with a white-yellow narrow stripe along the edges. Propagated by dividing the bush.

IceDance(C. morrowii) - upright, semi-compact plants 30 cm high with wide leaves with a narrow white stripe along the edge. Propagated by dividing the bush.

(C. buchananii) - compact, columnar plants 40 cm high and 25 cm wide with bronze-brown narrow, straight leaves. Propagated by seeds.

Rosaly(Carex comans) - upright growing plants 20 cm high with light brown leaves that turn pink at low temperatures. Propagated by dividing the bush.

Growing seedlings from seeds

A well-drained substrate with a pH of 5.8–6.2 and a low salt content is optimal for growing seedlings. The crops are sprinkled with vermiculite. Germination lasts 7–10 days at a temperature of +20+26°C. Higher temperatures promote earlier emergence of seedlings, especially in the variety, which germinates better at +24+26°C. The substrate after sowing and before emergence should be fairly moist, but not wet, and the air humidity should be 95–97%. Germination requires light.

After the seedlings appear, the humidity of the substrate is slightly reduced, the temperature is maintained at +20+22°C and high illumination is provided. As soon as the first leaves grow, the seedlings begin to be fed with small doses of complex nitrate fertilizers with a low phosphorus content, preventing an increase in the salt content in the substrate.

Further growth of seedlings takes place at the same temperature and light, but the humidity of the substrate before watering is brought to low and watered so that there is no excess moisture. Leaves should not be allowed to wilt when the substrate dries. Doses of fertilizing are increased to medium. At the last stage before transshipment, the temperature is slightly reduced (to +18+19°C), and the amount of light is increased. The substrate moisture level also continues to alternate from slightly moist to wet.

Growing seedlings

Plants are planted in pots from 9 to 15 cm, filled with the same substrate as for sowing. After disembarkation, the temperature is maintained at +19+23°C during the day and +18+19°C at night. It can be grown at a lower temperature of about +10°C, but the time before planting will increase significantly. Leaf color becomes brighter in cool conditions and good light. To get well-grown and compact plants you need a lot of light and a fairly dry substrate so that there is no excess moisture. Plants are regularly fed with high doses of complex fertilizers low in ammonium and phosphorus.

Despite the absence of flowers, ornamental grasses, sedges and cereals are irreplaceable in the garden - they favorably highlight the splendor of flowering plants, give the site a decorative appearance and can serve as an excellent background addition for bright accents. For the most part, such crops do not require annual renewal, since they are perennial and successfully survive unfavorable conditions even in the harshest winters.

Plants with narrow grass-like leaves (sedges, grasses, lilies) belong to different families, but their external similarity allows, without going into botanical subtleties, to call them ornamental grasses.

On this page you can find photos, names and descriptions of sedges, grasses and other ornamental grasses for decorating the garden.

Types of perennial ornamental grasses and grasses in landscape design

Ophiopogon flat-arrowed (Ophiopogon planiscapus)- truly a royal plant. The ‘Nigrescens’ variety with black leaves amazes with its exotic appearance. If you place a decorative ball near the bush, this grass will resemble a porcupine with long games.

Pay attention to the photo - this perennial ornamental grass for the garden has leaves that retain color even in partial shade:

Ophiopogon blooms in August-September. The spectacle is magnificent - as if a lilac lily of the valley accidentally appeared among the black sedge. It is easy to propagate the plant: Having taken root, the “black grass” begins to grow with the help of underground stolons and, accordingly, form new hummocks.

Do not forget that ophiopogon comes from regions with a milder climate and in severe winters without snow it can freeze. Mulch and shelter from bark or fallen leaves will be very useful to him. Ophiopogon leaves should not be cut for the winter. This is an evergreen plant.

Another fashionable plant is Miscanthus. New varieties appear every year.

Pleases with special variety miscanthus chinensis (M. sinensis). This type of ornamental grass forms powerful multi-stemmed bushes from 40 cm to 2 m in height. The leaves are beautifully colored - they can be bluish-green, with transverse or longitudinal bright stripes. The flowering of miscanthus is very impressive. But in our climate, elegant fluffy panicles can only be seen on the ‘Early Hybrids’ variety. Other varieties do not have enough growing season for full flowering.

Miscanthus can grow in sun or partial shade; they love loose, nutritious soil. They need to be fed occasionally.

Thanks to magnificent photographs taken in foreign gardens, an Asian cereal with an unpronounceable name is coming into fashion. Hakonechloa major (Hakonechloa macra). Curtains with such ornamental grasses and herbs in landscape design look simply amazing thanks to their drooping leaves. Yellow-leaved and variegated varieties are especially effective.

In the gardens of the middle zone, hakonechloe, which in Japan is called weeping grass because of its drooping leaves, lacks warmth: lush tussocks cannot be produced. In harsh snowless winters, Hakonechloa freezes out. It can only be recommended for cultivation in the southern regions. Plant the plant in shady, damp places.

But raygrass (Arrhenatherum) tall bulbous subspecies ‘Variegatum’ (A. elatius ssp. bulbosum ‘Variegatum’) overwinters and grows well here. It forms delicate loose bushes with very bright contrasting foliage. Bulbs form in the stems, which fall onto the soil and give life to new plants. This ornamental grass is ideal for landscape design: raygrass is non-aggressive, indifferent to drought, and looks better in the sun, where it becomes brighter.

Nowadays, cereals with bluish foliage are very popular. The first among them is sheep evergreen (Elelictotrichon sempervirens). Forms charming knee-high, bluish-blue bushes. Loves the sun (in full light it acquires a bright color), light soils and relative dryness.

His "little sister" - gray fescue (Festuca glauca). Fescue has needle-thin leaves. A neat tussock with brightly colored leaves is formed only when planted in a sunny place, in dry, well-drained soil. In frosty and damp winters, the plant may die.

Soddy pike (Deschampsia caespitosa)- a simple, unpretentious plant. At first glance, nothing special. However, this ornamental grass works very well in a design among rocks on the edge of a pond. It forms neat, rounded bushes. Recently, varieties with different colored spikelets have appeared.

Very popular blue molinia ‘Variegata’ (Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’). Its bluish leaves with longitudinal white stripes are brighter in the sun. But even in the shade, molinia grows quite well and is pleasing to the eye. Loves moisture and coolness. Otherwise, no problems.

As you can see in the photo, these ornamental herbs and grasses for the garden can be planted next to roses, heucheras, geraniums, hostas, aquilegias and mantles:

All these plants will get along quite well together. In addition, rhegrass is a good plant to plant with spring bulbs.

Chinese miscanthuses winter well. You just need to remember that it is better not to cut them off for the winter. In the spring they wake up late, which makes the plant seem inanimate.

Types and varieties of decorative sedges in landscape design (with photos)

Decorative sedges (Sagekh) are remarkable for their plasticity. They adapt perfectly to different conditions and feel comfortable in almost all gardens: They grow in the sun (just remember to water) and in the shade, both in dry and damp areas.

There are variegated and yellow-leaved forms of sedges.

Look at the photo - decorative sedges enliven shady corners and create a contrast with plants with dark leaves:

Plants with decorative leaves are considered less resilient than the original species. But bad experience can only befall the Ochimen sedge ‘Evergold’ (C. ochimensis ‘Evergold’), it did not survive the winter of 2002-2003. The remaining variegated forms, fortunately, are still alive today.

One of the tallest species - pendulous sedge (S. pendula). This is a powerful plant that reaches a height of 1.2 m. The main decoration of sedge is the long hanging “earrings” of inflorescences. These sedges last a very long time in landscape design. The plant is moisture-loving; its place is on the shore of the pond among other large plants - bergenia, buzulnik, hosta.

Sedge palmifolia (C. muskingumensis) not that big. Shoots up to a meter high form a densely packed bush. An excellent plant for damp places (can even grow in shallow water). The species has variegated forms and varieties. A dwarf variety, ‘Little Mildge’, has also been developed.

Evergreen species - sedge morrow (S. morrowii). She winters great. The plant comes out from under the snow not even crushed. The plant forms a neat hummock up to 50 cm in height and slightly larger in diameter. It is better to plant this sedge in partial shade so that the wintering leaves do not burn in the sun in the spring. The soil in the garden for decorative sedges should always be moist, but not wet. There are varigate varieties.

Winged sedge (S. elata) has not yet become widespread. The bright yellow variety ‘Aigea’ will attract attention. The plant forms loose bushes up to 30 cm in height. This type of sedge prefers damp places. Winters well. To preserve its bright color, the plant is planted in a bright place.

Mountain sedge (S. montana) forms dense, squat (up to 35 cm) hummocks. The leaves are thin. At the beginning of summer, the plant is decorated with black spikelets. From the name it is clear that dampness is contraindicated for this species. But she doesn’t like dry food either.

As shown in the photo, this type of sedge will decorate the shaded areas of the rock garden:

It is also good in borders next to other low plants. Looks great in an array. Winters well.

Unlike previous types rusty spotted sedge (S. siderosticha) gradually spreads out, forming a curtain. In May, the plant blooms - numerous spikelets with pink anthers appear. Variegated varieties are less aggressive. A very flexible plant that can grow in both sun and shade.

One of the smallest poultry sedge (S. ornithopoda). The bush is only 10 cm high, with beautiful long leaves that are arranged in curls around the hummock. The ‘Variegata’ variety is very nice. The plant is evergreen. The leaves do not suffer from frost, but in the spring they can get burned. This sedge does not tolerate dampness and drought.

Decorative varieties of sedges go well with heucheras and hostas, they are good “at the feet” of ferns, next to mountain weeds, bells, geraniums and mantles. Low-growing species can be planted in a rock garden.

Palm sedge has very brittle shoots: as soon as you touch it, the stems fall off. Try not to plant it along paths or in places where the plant can be damaged.

Recently, sedges with brown leaves have appeared on sale. The bushes look luxurious. Only holds brick sedge (S. testacea). But it was grown from seeds.

Indoor sedge It is not at all whimsical, it is very easy to care for, but it does not have any special beauty; rather, it can be a wonderful background for other plants. There are several types of sedges that look very good as a houseplant.

Japanese sedge. It reaches a height of 35 - 45 cm, the leaves are narrow and long, can be up to 35 cm in length. The leaves are green, indoor sedge does not bloom, but if you plant this species in a greenhouse, a small inflorescence may appear once a year.

Sedge graceful or its second name is brown sedge. It reaches a height of 25 - 35 cm, the leaves are narrow and long, up to 30 cm in length, the color is yellow-green.

Propagation of domestic sedge

Indoor sedge reproduces by division. We very carefully take it out of the pot and make sure that each part separated from the main flower has several shoots and roots. Only such parts are planted separately.

You can also grow indoor sedge even from seeds. These seeds need to be planted in soil that contains peat and sand. The room for growing sedge should be warm, with moderate watering. Sedge grown from seeds is only green in color.

Sedge, although not whimsical, does not like complete shade or bright sunlight. The entire rest of the light spectrum is quite suitable for indoor sedge. The room temperature should be 16 - 19 degrees, and in winter it is better to lower it to 6 - 8 degrees. This plant does not tolerate drafts, but it takes fresh air very well; for this you need to ventilate the room more often. Watering should be moderate, since excessive watering can cause roots to rot and the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Sedge does not like frequent spraying and humid air. The plant needs to be fertilized only in the summer, with organic fertilizers; for this, they are diluted in water and during watering, they contribute to their penetration into the soil. Sedges are replanted no more than once every three years. The soil for replanting should contain a mixture of humus, leaf soil and peat.

If you do not provide the plant with the necessary care, it can be affected by insects such as spider mites or mealybugs. And if the humidity regime is not selected correctly, the plant may be susceptible to powdery mildew or gray rot.

Due to its lush vegetation, homemade sedge can very well highlight a plant blooming with bright flowers in the interior. It will perfectly complement any green corner in the apartment, suitable for both plant lovers and people who have no time to care for them. It is very convenient to maintain it in schools, kindergartens, clinics and other government institutions, due to the fact that it does not require careful care.