Beach grass in the garden is becoming increasingly popular. We reveal what you need to consider when planting and caring for the sweet grass.
Every vacationer knows this ornamental grass from a walk on the beach. The Common beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) is used to plant the dunes on the North and B altic Seas. If you want to get some holiday feeling in the garden, you can easily cultivate beach grass. The sweet grass forms pretty, yellow fragrant flowers in early summer and is also very good in summer bouquets. The common beach grass stays green even in the cold season, making for a pretty accent in the conservatory.
Special features of beach grass
Beach grass is a pioneer among sweet grasses. It is at home on almost all coasts of the world. Since the end of the 19th century, the plants have also been exported to America, Australia and New Zealand and used to fortify the dunes.
Actually, the beach grass does not tolerate s alt water and therefore only grows in dry places that cannot be reached by the sea. The botanical name "Ammophila arenaria" means something like "sand friend" and indicates the preferred location of the beach grass.
➔ Beach Grass - Benefit
The dune landscapes of the world's oceans would be unimaginable without the common beach grass. As a pioneer plant, it is partly responsible for the formation of the dunes. Buried by the sand, the beach grass grows again and again towards the light. The roots fasten the sandy soil.
» Did you know? Within a year, the common marram grass can penetrate sand walls up to one meter high.
The beach grass stabilizes the dunes and thus makes a valuable contribution to coastal protection. The plant also feeds on the beach grass planthopper and the caterpillars of the beach grass white-veined owl.
| Common beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) | |
|---|---|
| Special Features: | curved stalks, filigree grass, pioneer plant, hardy |
| Growth: | 60 - 100 cm |
| Growth: | 20 - 35 cm |
| Flowering: | June - August |
| Location: | Sun |
| Floor: | dry to fresh, well-drained, sandy, mineral-like |
Planting beach grass in the garden
➔ Find the right location
The beach grass thrives in sun and partial shade. Several hours of sunlight per day are optimal. In a too dark place, the sweet grasses wither. The ideal location is near the sea. A garden pond or a natural stream can be used as an alternative in the garden.
Preference is given to planting the beach grass in the rock garden or perennial bed. Pretty combinations can be created with sea kale or with the potato rose.
» Note: A root barrier should be installed so that the beach grass does not crowd out its plant neighbours.
➔ Choosing the ideal substrate
The beach plant prefers sandy soil. A permeable substrate is important. Sand should be added to conventional garden soil.
The beach grass obtains potassium, lime and phosphorus from its natural habitat by blowing sand over it. Anyone who cannot offer this in the garden bed must supply the nutrients regularly via the fertilizer.
The sweet grasses do not get along with wet subsoil or very saline soil.
➔ Planting beach grass - step by step
Common beach grass is offered as a container plant. The plants can be placed outside between spring and autumn.
Proceed as follows:
- Select Location
- Prepare substrate
- Remove plant from planter
- Water plant
- Dig planting hole
- Attach rhizome barrier
- Insert plant
- Fill substrate
- Press the earth well
- Water the plant
Water the beach grass correctly
Although the beach grass grows by the sea, its water requirements are rather small. The plants feel most comfortable in a dry sandy soil. In the garden bed, the beach grass is only watered sparingly.
Fertilize beach grass correctly
The nutrient requirement is low, but should still be balanced. Will the plant not in acultivated on pure sandy soil, it should be fertilized regularly. A fertilizer with a high potassium and phosphorus content should be selected. Can be watered with calcareous tap water.
An overview of the most important planting and care tips
| Measure | What to do? |
|---|---|
| Select Location | sunny to semi-shady bright |
| Prepare substrate | sandy well drained nutrient rich |
| Casting | water sparingly avoid waterlogging |
| Fertilize | Fertilize regularly when cultivating in garden soil Lime, potassium and phosphorus are required |
Cutting Beach Grass
The common beach grass is an easy-care ornamental grass. However, if you fail to install a root barrier, you will soon find that the plants will spread in the bed and overgrow other plants. Then it becomes necessary to dig up and thin out the plant.
Brown leaves can be removed in spring.
Propagating beach grass
This will usually not be necessary, because the plants spread so much that no one thinks of additional propagation. If you want to add another plant to your garden, you can get it by dividing the root ball.
Beach grass - recognizing diseases and pests
You will hardly find a diseased plant on the beach. Danger threatens only from competing plants. The potato rose, which also occurs in the dunes, grows faster than the beach grass and often causes the plants to die off.
In the home garden there is a risk of fungal or nematode infestation. This is usually the result of soil that is too firm and a supply of nutrients that is not tailored to the needs of the plants.
Overwintering beach grass
The beach grass is well adapted to the winters in our latitudes and does not need any additional winter protection. Temperatures down to - 20 degrees are usually well tolerated.