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Pennisetum grass: why no seed heads?

lesleywlesleyw Posts: 3
in Problem solving

I have three pennisetum alopecuroides black beauty that have produced lovely heads for the last three years.  This year, sweet nothing. 

I can't think of anything that has changed in their environment or care.  Could anyone suggest a reason/solution, please?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,113

    All I can think of is that they might be hungry - all that rain we had last year washed lots of nutrients out of the soil and I think quite a few plants have suffered because of it this year.

     I'd give them a sprinkling of Fish, Blood and Bone in the early spring of next year.  Hope it works - lovely plant image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • lesleywlesleyw Posts: 3

    Many thanks -I'll feed them and keep them watered more carefully!

  • rowena2188yahoocomrowena2188yahoocom Posts: 4

    pennisetum, do we have to trim it back at all?

    thanks for any help,

    rowena

  • Mark152Mark152 Posts: 13

    Hi Lesleyw,

    This is a bit of a mystery but my guess is that a wetter than average winter may have had an impact. In addition the summer was late to get going. Pennistetums have no special maintenance requirements. I would cut them down in the spring before new growth emerges to tidy them up.

    Good luck for this year!

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,035

    Most Pennisetum are evergreen grasses and should not be chopped down. They should just have dead stems gently combed out in the Spring.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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