Gerald Filipski: Delicate grasses star in containers
Fill a complementary container; bring it inside for fall colour
I have been getting a few requests to repeat a column that ran a few years ago on grasses. It seems more and more gardeners are discovering the joys of maintenance-free gardening that grasses can offer.
Grasses are efficient, versatile and beautiful and can be used in many applications.
CONTAINERS
The right container can make or break a grass. If your grass is gold edged in green, a high gloss, black container will look great. If the grass is a rusty brown, a bright yellow container will do the trick. Choose from today’s wonderful variety of containers to best complement and contrast the grass.
If you are going to bring the grasses indoors in the fall, choose a container that is light enough to transport. Many of the cast-resin types look like much heavier ceramic or terra cotta, but weigh a fraction of the real thing.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Ornamental grasses come in a wide range of heights and colours that include shades of green, gold, brown, red, purple and white.
They easily hold their own when it comes to landscape design; you won’t need to add anything else to achieve an appealing and very interesting container garden.
A single tall grass in the background, with two or three medium-height grasses and three to five short varieties in front can turn a dull corner of a deck or balcony into a thing of beauty.
CARE AND FEEDING
These undemanding plants prefer a well-drained, goodquality potting soil, with no need to fertilize during the first year of growth. After the first year you can add some slowrelease fertilizer pellets made for containers. This way, each time you water the plant gets fertilized. The pellets can last for up to three months.
Grasses like to be watered regularly, but many are drought tolerant and can go for longer without water— sometimes a couple of days, or longer if they are not in direct sun — than most annuals.
In the fall, it’s easy to bring your grass arrangement inside and enjoy it right through the winter.