pampas grass

I wonder if anyone could give me some advice on feeding/caring for my pampas grass. It is planted in a container in a very exposed coastal location , its now 3 years old and this season's plumes have just appeared.I haven't really done anything in particular to it before apart from putting some general plant feed in the watering can but it looks so good this year (at least for a plant of mine!)that I'd like to do what I can to encourage it. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

I haven't ever come across Pampas Grass grown in a cntainer, BarneyB - but I'd guess that at the age of 3 it must be out-growing its pot, unless it's a massive one...

The normal procedure with the stuff is to be ruthless and cut it well back in the winter (or even burn it :eek: But I wouldn't want to do either of those things with a containerised plant.

I haven't used it in a coastal area, so I can't give you an informed opinion on that aspect, but if it appears to be thriving, then it can't be a problem! But I'd put it into the soil if that's possible.

 

There was a massive one here when we came,blocking the view from the house,so we burn't it & moved it to a more suitable site & its growing fine,but agree with dendro it would be better planted out

 

Thanks Dendrobium and Gogs.Unfortunately there's no soil, just a flagged patio area, The containers quite big though, it's a wooden trough about 4 foot by 2 foot and about 2 foot 6 high. It seems to be thriving anyway, though I'm a bit confused about the cutting it back in winter bit as last winter the plumes were still there in March/April, it was only a sudden heavy snow fall that broke the stems, Maybe our calendar is different up here! :D

 

I must admit that I never bother cutting ours back as much as that. All I ever do in spring is cut the old flowering stalks out and remove as many dead fronds as I can. Do be very careful doing this though. Pamapas grass has sharp backward pointing barbs on the leaves. You can put your hand IN, no problem, but taking OUT again can lead to very nasty cuts.
While the flower stems last all winter the birds here remove the seeds by the end of October so there is little ornamental value to them.

 

palustris,I dont like pampas grass, dreadful things. I got rid of the one in the front garden and one in the back garden.

 

Barneyb your container must be really big knowign the size my pampas grass is although it has been in the original part of the front gardnen for 17yrs too big to even thing about tryingto dig out.

Although the birds do lov eto use it as a swing and do get a lot of pleasure.

Early spring we always prune bak to the base and pull out old growth.Too make room for th enew growth which never fails.

My pampass grass grows very well to the weather that is thrown at it.

I never have fed it at all do not really do anything as she grows and grows.

As you know we get all types of weathe rin Scotland.

 

Each to his own Fancy-I love to see the plumes blowing in the sea breeze.I'll take Palustris's and Scotkat's advice and leave well alone till next spring. Thanks for all the replies.

 

Your very welcome Barneyb sorry about my spelling ,I type fast sometimes this time did not check my spelling.

Enjoy your Pampas blowing in the wind.

 

Will do, Scotkat