Sold! I am going to look for some of these. I haven't used grasses much I think I've always been a bit scared of them taking over or looking a bit tatty dare I say! anyway you've convinced me. Moved here at the end of '21 it was very overgrown. I've been re doing it digging up and re planting etc and last year I bought a Hosta on marketplace from someone but in with it was a tiny bit of grass, I potted it up and it was lovely I took cuttings and I ended up dividing it and now have 7 of them ! it turns out that bit of grass was called Phalaris its no doubt very common but it's lovely and it's stood there all winter adding interest even though it was straw coloured it looked wonderful its about knee height clump forms and moves in the breeze I am definitely going to try more grasses now and Karl Foerster will be my next purchase, yours look absolutely superb as does your entire garden, really lovely. Thanks for the video very interesting.
That's great , but the grass phalaris is an aggressive spreader and best for a pot to control it. I've done a few videos on ornamental grasses that should help you on your quest.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Thanks for the reply and the info on Phalaris I do have a few in containers I appreciate that info and I will watch the rest of your videos. I did notice when I cut it back at the weekend that there seemed to be more of it poking up from the base. Last year I planted the majority of it in a narrow gravel bed along a fence next to a side pathway around the house so I was hoping it would fill that area in but if it spreads anywhere else I will have to dig it up and stick to containers instead, that's good info thanks.
Hi - Your Karl Foerster looks incredible! I have 4 of these plants growing next to our house which faces West and is Zone 6a. They are probably 8 years old. Mine tend to grow a lot of green at the bottom and not as many firm, tall stalks. And the stalks don't tent to be so upright - they flop more. Any idea what could be wrong with mine? I do cut them back each year. Do you think they need divided? Since they are close to my house, sometimes they don't get the rain unless it's blowing hard but they do get lots of sun. I do water them in the summer/fall but not excessively. Do you have any tips for me to get mine looking like yours? Thanks!
I'd definitely divide your Karl foerster. The position could be the main problem. Being close to the house won't help as they'd prefer more moisture. The bending could be a wind problem caused by being so close to the house, so either they are looking for light or it could be the lack of stalks. They will benefit from a spring feed and try to move them away from the house.
How fast to they come up in the spring? Living in Denmark, guessing similar climate more or less. I have just planted a row of Limelight Hydrangea, and am considering setting a row of these behind them (~1m), but unsure if the Limelights will shadow them way too fast... Idea would be to plant the grass offset from the Limelights (in betweeen every other, but 1m back, roughly). The Limelights are facing S/SW, and are set to give some temporary privacy as an open carport is behind them, which you can look right through from the road. Also, ideas for ground cover below the Hydrangeas, possibly some smaller grasses in front of them...?
The calamagrostis acutiflora Karl foerster can make 7feet it starts to grow by late January in it leaf with the seed heads starting around June. Try hakonachloa macra in front it'll be a lovely contrast.
I planted a bunch last summer and they looked great so this year is the first year to watch them grow and it’s not looking good. I have like 20 and none of the blooms are turning brown they’re still green and all the green grass is turning brown and splintering, they look terrible and I don’t know what’s going on
Hi , there are lots of things to affect the grass, and wind will damage some of them. The grass goes through different looks as the year turns. They are prone to rust on the leaves in damp environments. The seed heads go through different phases but eventually turn to a straw colour, at which point the leaves will fall away, leaving a stiffly upright look to the clump, any breaks should be removed, there should be plenty of stalks so it should look better, each season gives a different look, this is what gives this superb grass a long season of interest, my calamagrostis is tidied up when needed, please don't be put off by its look as it sounds like your planting is relatively new, it needs time to mature, I'll do a filmed explanation in my next video to help you out.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Update: the heads are now slowly closing and starting to look like yours. Its interesting to see them go from airy to neat. The color changes are nice too. So far I've seen green, purple/pink ish and currently some are golden brown. Such an amazing grass! I can't wait for the winter for winter interest. Hopefully the stalks will remain upright until then.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 thanks for replying. I won’t worry too much then. We had heavy rain and they went from looking amazing and almost 5 ft tall - to bent over. I wasn’t sure what to do.
This looks great. Do you have to cut this back? Im after something to create privacy between 2 driveways and ideally something that isn’t cut back or is only for a short while. Thanks
I cut it back late January, it'll take a couple of months before it'll reach the privacy screen look after that, there a Bamboo called obelisk that remains evergreen, it remains a tight clump so you would need several plants to create a screen, it doesn't run , it's a fargesia type so very well behaved.
Looks great, you've given me renewed appreciation for this superb very hardy grass! I also love calamagrostis 'Eldorado' with its very nice yellow foliage, 'Overdam' is pretty good as well, but for seed head display, yes, 'Karl' beats them all! I really need to obtain allium 'Summer Drummer', the two go together so well! Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks' would make for a very nice companion to 'Karl Foerster', my specimen is more attractive than any online photos, really has a very nice skirt of purple green foliage and a mass of seed heads, sure the heads are not hugely showy, though both the stalks and heads are a dramatic black color. I didn't do any soil amending for 'Blackhawks' other than deeply dig and turn the soil over and it seems to have appreciated my efforts, I intend to add several 'Blackhawks' about the place!
I'm not familiar with the blackjack cultivar but I have another more purple form of andropogon gerardii weinheim burgundy, there are so many beautiful cultivars, it's a much underused grass, maybe I'll try it next to calamagrostis Karl foerster.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Next year, I hope to obtain Andropogon 'Dancing Wind', along with 'Blackhawks' both have received a 5 star rating at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. I had always overlooked ornamental grasses up until just a few years ago, now it's often one of the first things I search for! 😁
@@TRguy64 I've been In to grasses well over 20 years now, it's great to see so many finally getting into them, I'm in the UK which doesn't allow for some of the more tender types.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 I'm in Canada where brutally cold -40 C arctic air plunges down though the country and at times even deep into the US. I'm not fortunate to enjoy one of the more favored Canadian zones that permit the growing and blooming of Miscanthus, these will survive for me if winter snow cover is adequate, though most are too late flowering ... 'Little Miss' is a bit of an exception, a diminutive plant with foliage that colors up early in nice red tints with flowers now pushing out, but frost is just around the corner! 'Fire Dragon' is another I'd really wish to try!
Love this grass and the deers don’t touch it which is the best feature
It is gorgeous. I will be using it as a backdrop for my rose garden and in front of a back fence. Love the movements and color.
It really is wonderful
Beautiful!!
I’ll try growing it in a larger pot /container not really popular and not readily available here in Australia.
It's worth growing, you'll be happy when you do.
It looks gorgeous with the verbena, Joe Pye Weed, allium, and the other grasses!
Thank you
Thank you for this recommendation, saves me experimenting.
You're welcome
what are some of your other favorite grasses?
All miscanthus varieties, molinia arundinacea types, and chionachloa rubra all sit high on my list.
Sold! I am going to look for some of these. I haven't used grasses much I think I've always been a bit scared of them taking over or looking a bit tatty dare I say! anyway you've convinced me. Moved here at the end of '21 it was very overgrown. I've been re doing it digging up and re planting etc and last year I bought a Hosta on marketplace from someone but in with it was a tiny bit of grass, I potted it up and it was lovely I took cuttings and I ended up dividing it and now have 7 of them ! it turns out that bit of grass was called Phalaris its no doubt very common but it's lovely and it's stood there all winter adding interest even though it was straw coloured it looked wonderful its about knee height clump forms and moves in the breeze I am definitely going to try more grasses now and Karl Foerster will be my next purchase, yours look absolutely superb as does your entire garden, really lovely. Thanks for the video very interesting.
That's great , but the grass phalaris is an aggressive spreader and best for a pot to control it. I've done a few videos on ornamental grasses that should help you on your quest.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Thanks for the reply and the info on Phalaris I do have a few in containers I appreciate that info and I will watch the rest of your videos. I did notice when I cut it back at the weekend that there seemed to be more of it poking up from the base. Last year I planted the majority of it in a narrow gravel bed along a fence next to a side pathway around the house so I was hoping it would fill that area in but if it spreads anywhere else I will have to dig it up and stick to containers instead, that's good info thanks.
@@soulgirlktf it was phalaris that gave ornamental grasses a bad name, but it's still a great grass for pots
@@upatgrassybottom9859 haha trust me to find it :)
@@soulgirlktf are you in the UK
Lovely grasses!
Thanks
Great grass to grow.
It certainly is
Beautiful
Thank you
Hi - Your Karl Foerster looks incredible! I have 4 of these plants growing next to our house which faces West and is Zone 6a. They are probably 8 years old. Mine tend to grow a lot of green at the bottom and not as many firm, tall stalks. And the stalks don't tent to be so upright - they flop more. Any idea what could be wrong with mine? I do cut them back each year. Do you think they need divided? Since they are close to my house, sometimes they don't get the rain unless it's blowing hard but they do get lots of sun. I do water them in the summer/fall but not excessively. Do you have any tips for me to get mine looking like yours? Thanks!
I'd definitely divide your Karl foerster. The position could be the main problem. Being close to the house won't help as they'd prefer more moisture. The bending could be a wind problem caused by being so close to the house, so either they are looking for light or it could be the lack of stalks. They will benefit from a spring feed and try to move them away from the house.
How fast to they come up in the spring? Living in Denmark, guessing similar climate more or less. I have just planted a row of Limelight Hydrangea, and am considering setting a row of these behind them (~1m), but unsure if the Limelights will shadow them way too fast... Idea would be to plant the grass offset from the Limelights (in betweeen every other, but 1m back, roughly). The Limelights are facing S/SW, and are set to give some temporary privacy as an open carport is behind them, which you can look right through from the road. Also, ideas for ground cover below the Hydrangeas, possibly some smaller grasses in front of them...?
The calamagrostis acutiflora Karl foerster can make 7feet it starts to grow by late January in it leaf with the seed heads starting around June. Try hakonachloa macra in front it'll be a lovely contrast.
I planted a bunch last summer and they looked great so this year is the first year to watch them grow and it’s not looking good.
I have like 20 and none of the blooms are turning brown they’re still green and all the green grass is turning brown and splintering, they look terrible and I don’t know what’s going on
Hi , there are lots of things to affect the grass, and wind will damage some of them. The grass goes through different looks as the year turns. They are prone to rust on the leaves in damp environments. The seed heads go through different phases but eventually turn to a straw colour, at which point the leaves will fall away, leaving a stiffly upright look to the clump, any breaks should be removed, there should be plenty of stalks so it should look better, each season gives a different look, this is what gives this superb grass a long season of interest, my calamagrostis is tidied up when needed, please don't be put off by its look as it sounds like your planting is relatively new, it needs time to mature, I'll do a filmed explanation in my next video to help you out.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 sounds great, thanks for the reply, yeah this is their first year, maybe I watered a little too much, we’ll see
@estrome8538 I've done a TH-cam on it in detail. It's yet to be edited but should help you.
do you think these can be planted in the summer with proper care and attention? we're about to get 90ºF temps next week ...
If they are kept watered, they should cope, you could plant the pot into the soil, then lift and remove the pot when the weather is more favourable.
How do the plumes stay neat together? Mine split
How old is your plant ?
@@upatgrassybottom9859 I planted 4 1L pots back in February. They are already at 4-5ft. Other than the plumes and a bit of rust they are doing fine.
@CalisthenicTraining give them a couple of years to establish, they can be lax at this time of year, especially if its a wet year.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Its indeed a wet year over here in The Netherlands. Hopefully the stems won't break 😢
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Update: the heads are now slowly closing and starting to look like yours. Its interesting to see them go from airy to neat. The color changes are nice too. So far I've seen green, purple/pink ish and currently some are golden brown. Such an amazing grass! I can't wait for the winter for winter interest. Hopefully the stalks will remain upright until then.
Hi there, beautiful grass, how long would it take to get to full growth from a 9cm pot? Cheers
Once in the ground, it'll take a couple of years, but it should still be looking quite good in its first year
Thank you so much🥃
they look great!
They really do
They really do
They really do
@@upatgrassybottom9859 i just had mine planted a couple weeks ago, hopefully they look that good someday!
@@thepsychonaut8212 they will develop quickly I'm sure
How long does it take to grow . It looks so good in the wind , good size
It reaches 6/7 feet in July, from being cut to the ground in February
How long does it take to grow back to 5 ft+ after cutting them down during early spring?
Once it shows initial growth, it'll be around 3 months ,
Do you leave them laying flat after a heavy rain or do you help them stand back up?
They pick themselves up once they've dried out. Sometimes, I shake them to speed up the process , they rarely get totally flattened.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 thanks for replying. I won’t worry too much then. We had heavy rain and they went from looking amazing and almost 5 ft tall - to bent over. I wasn’t sure what to do.
This looks great. Do you have to cut this back? Im after something to create privacy between 2 driveways and ideally something that isn’t cut back or is only for a short while. Thanks
I cut it back late January, it'll take a couple of months before it'll reach the privacy screen look after that, there a Bamboo called obelisk that remains evergreen, it remains a tight clump so you would need several plants to create a screen, it doesn't run , it's a fargesia type so very well behaved.
ALL grasses need cut back
Looks great, you've given me renewed appreciation for this superb very hardy grass! I also love calamagrostis 'Eldorado' with its very nice yellow foliage, 'Overdam' is pretty good as well, but for seed head display, yes, 'Karl' beats them all! I really need to obtain allium 'Summer Drummer', the two go together so well!
Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks' would make for a very nice companion to 'Karl Foerster', my specimen is more attractive than any online photos, really has a very nice skirt of purple green foliage and a mass of seed heads, sure the heads are not hugely showy, though both the stalks and heads are a dramatic black color. I didn't do any soil amending for 'Blackhawks' other than deeply dig and turn the soil over and it seems to have appreciated my efforts, I intend to add several 'Blackhawks' about the place!
I'm not familiar with the blackjack cultivar but I have another more purple form of andropogon gerardii weinheim burgundy, there are so many beautiful cultivars, it's a much underused grass, maybe I'll try it next to calamagrostis Karl foerster.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 Next year, I hope to obtain Andropogon 'Dancing Wind', along with 'Blackhawks' both have received a 5 star rating at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. I had always overlooked ornamental grasses up until just a few years ago, now it's often one of the first things I search for! 😁
@@TRguy64 I've been In to grasses well over 20 years now, it's great to see so many finally getting into them, I'm in the UK which doesn't allow for some of the more tender types.
@@upatgrassybottom9859 I'm in Canada where brutally cold -40 C arctic air plunges down though the country and at times even deep into the US. I'm not fortunate to enjoy one of the more favored Canadian zones that permit the growing and blooming of Miscanthus, these will survive for me if winter snow cover is adequate, though most are too late flowering ... 'Little Miss' is a bit of an exception, a diminutive plant with foliage that colors up early in nice red tints with flowers now pushing out, but frost is just around the corner! 'Fire Dragon' is another I'd really wish to try!
@@TRguy64 I can't imagine a winter that cold, with lifting plants /grasses etc yearly I guess some are no go..
How tall is that grass?
It'll reach up to 6 feet
Is this grass shade tolerant?
As long as it's not too deep shade, it will tolerate it.