The New Zealand sedge is an easy-care plant. We'll show you how to properly plant the plant in the garden or in the tub.
Sedges add variety to the bed, because they are an exceptionally species-rich plant family. About 2,000 species belong to the sour grass family, which occurs almost worldwide. The New Zealand sedge (Carex comans) is an enrichment for beds and tubs due to the interesting leaf colouring. The plants are easy to care for and can be combined in many ways. Below are some helpful planting tips for hobby gardeners to take with them.
Plant Description
Sedges are perennial and vigorous plants. Some of them flower in the first year. All sedges form rhizomes and can form extensive carpets of plants. Sedges prefer to grow in damp locations. Natural distribution areas are forests, rocks or grasslands. The foliage grows upright and arches over.
The spike-shaped inflorescences appear in summer. The flowers are rather simple and inconspicuous and have the color of the stalks. The New Zealand sedge grows about 20 to 30 centimeters high. The greenish flowers appear between July and August. The bronze-green leaves are pointed and the small shrub looks grassy.
Distribution of the New Zealand sedge
Sedges were first described by Linnaeus and assigned to the genus Carex. Sedges can be found almost worldwide. North America is particularly rich in species, where almost 500 species grow. In contrast, only small deposits are found south of the Sahara.
Species distributed in Central Europe:
• Capitate sedge (Carex capitata)
• Flea sedge (Carex pulicaris)
• Dioecious sedge (Carex dioica)
• Sand sedge (Carex arenaria)
• Knitted sedge (Carex chordorrhiza)
• Crooked sedge (Carex curvula)
• Wire sedge (Carex diandra)
• White sedge (Carex alba)
• Water sedge (Carex aquatilis)
Use of New Zealand sedge
The New Zealand sedge can be used in many ways. The low-growing grass is particularly expressive in combination with ground covervalidity. Dog chamomile, prickly nuts or yarrow are ideal companions. The sedges are also an eye-catcher when they are alone, as they can spread unhindered and reach impressive proportions.
The sedge is also popular in flower boxes. The attractive foliage contrasts nicely with Christmas roses or heather in a winter container.
Find the right location for the New Zealand sedge
In its native New Zealand, the New Zealand sedge prefers to grow in meadows and pastures with high soil moisture and at the edges of water. Plenty of sunlight is needed to maintain the pretty bronze foliage color.
Because they are very adaptable plants, the New Zealand sedge can also thrive in a partially shaded location.
Coming soon:
• sunny
• warm
• bright
• humid
Selecting the ideal substrate for the New Zealand sedge
The substrate should be fresh and must never dry out. The soil should be well-drained so that the roots can absorb sufficient moisture from the soil.
» Tip: Adding sand or gravel makes heavy loamy soil more permeable.
The New Zealand sedge also thrives on swampy ground. A sandy loam soil with gravel or small stones is the ideal substrate.
Coming soon:
• fluffy
• fresh
• moist
• loamy• sandy
• humic
• well drained
Planting the New Zealand sedge - step by step
1. Select location
2. Prepare the soil
3. Improve the soil
4. Dig the planting hole
5. Insert the plant
6. Close the planting hole7. Water the plant well
First, the appropriate location is selected. If there was no bed here before, the soil must first be prepared. Loosen the soil and remove weeds, roots and larger stones. If the soil is heavy and dry, it should first be made more permeable. You can do this if the soil is loosened up well and mixed with sand or gravel.
When planting in the bed, make sure that there is enough space for the New Zealand sedge. The planting distance should therefore be at least 30 centimeters. If you want to plant the sedge in small tuffs or plant several different varieties in groups, no more than nine plants should be planted per square meter.
The planting hole should be at least twice the size of theRoot ball to be excavated. The plants are then carefully placed in the center of the depression and the planting hole is filled with soil. After the soil has been well pressed, the young plants should be watered sufficiently, preferably washed in, so that the soil absorbs sufficient moisture.
Important planting tips at a glance
| Step | Explanation |
| Set Location | The New Zealand sedge needs a sunny spot. Only sufficient hours of sunshine ensure that the bronze-colored foliage retains its radiance. At the same time, the plant should be placed in a sunny spot. |
| Prepare the ground | A loose and permeable soil allows the New Zealand sedge to thrive best. Heavy soils tolerate loosening with sand or gravel. |
| Plant New Zealand Sedge | A planting distance of at least 30 centimeters must be observed. The planting hole should be at least twice the size of the root ball. After planting, don't forget to provide the New Zealand sedge with sufficient water. |
The New Zealand sedge in the pot
Sedges are also suitable for growing in buckets. The decorative foliage is an enrichment for summer and winter arrangements. However, keeping them in buckets is a bit more complex than cultivating them outdoors. Choose a sufficiently large planting pot so that the sedge can spread well. The trays should also be deep enough, because the rhizome-forming plant wants to stretch its roots into the ground.
Planting the New Zealand sedge in a tub - step by step
1. Select planter
2. Prepare the soil
3. Fill in the soil
4. Insert the plant
5. Fill up the soil completely
6. Water the plant well
Not only the size of the planter is important, also pay attention to the bottom of the planter. There should be enough drainage holes for the liquid. Although the New Zealand sedge needs moist soil, it cannot stand completely under water in the narrow planter in the long term. The holes in the bottom of the container ensure that the liquid can drain off easily.
Nutrient-rich soil should be used for pot planting. Here, too, heavy soil is made more permeable with sand or gravel. To ensure that the plant receives sufficient nutrients, potted plants must be fertilized regularly. The addition of compost preserves the sedgesan effective natural fertilizer when planting.
After the plant has been placed in the pot, it is sufficiently watered. A sunny location is ideal for the planter. The fluid requirement is correspondingly high.
» Tip: Make sure to place plants with similar requirements in a planter with the New Zealand sedge.
When should the New Zealand sedge be repotted?
If the New Zealand sedge has taken up almost the entire pot and the roots are probably already showing through the holes in the bottom of the pot, then it is time to transplant. Not only the planter, but also the substrate is completely replaced, as it is used up very quickly in the bucket.
» Tip: During the transplanting, the hobby gardener has the opportunity to examine the condition of the plant roots and to make any pruning measures.