Sandy grate
Sandy grate, or sandy Elimus, Leimus, Volosnets(Leymus arenarius , Elymus arenarius)
A species of perennial herbaceous plants of the genus Kolosnyak (Leymus) of the family Cereals, or Bluegrass (Poaceae).
Perennial grass that adorns the front garden with beautiful, feathery bushes. Not everyone can immediately understand the beauty of this plant, but without it a complex flower arrangement may not be complete.
The natural growth zone is Scandinavia, Atlantic Europe, the north of the European part of Russia.
Zone 4. Winter-hardy without shelter.
The plant is gray, 120 cm long.
Sandy grate
Stems are thick and tall. The leaves are gray, almost blue, flat, hard, 0.5-1.0 cm wide.
Spikes erect, dense, fluffy, 15-25 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide.
Rhizome deep, creeping.
It begins to grow at sufficiently low temperatures and does not react at all to warm time, continuing to grow at high temperatures, and does not respond to high humidity.
Location: sunny, drought tolerant. Winter-hardy without shelter. Resistant to winds, soil and air pollution.
Soil: grows well only on loose sandy soils.
Sandy grate
In open spaces it forms loose, extensive thickets; in cramped planting, it grows in a bunch.
Despite the presence of rhizomes, the grate is not very aggressive.If necessary, unwanted parts of the plant can be easily removed.
They don't need supplements. Inflorescences at the end of summer, after seed ripening, it is desirable to cut off.
Transplantation and rejuvenation never requires.
Used to fix sands.
Decorative in tubs, in isolated groups, in rockeries such as "mountain valley" and "mixborder".
The silvery leaves of Leimus are the perfect backdrop for herbs or shrubs with burgundy-chestnut foliage, as well as annuals or perennials with blue or purple flowers.
Often the spikelets of the plant are used to decorate decorative flower arrangements. They are prepared in the middle of summer, before the grains begin to ripen. Cut spikelets are collected in bunches of fifteen pieces and hung upside down in a dark, well-ventilated place.
Landing: Propagated by vegetative or seed methods. The division of the bush is carried out in spring or in the first half of summer.
*Landing: To limit the undesirable spread of the plant over the territory of the site, it is necessary to plant it in a container (for example, a bucket, pot or pipe) at least 30-40 cm deep with a diameter of 10-30 cm, the edges of which should rise slightly above the soil level. The walls must be impenetrable, otherwise the plant will quickly find a gap. Growing, Kolosnyak completely fills the volume allotted to him with roots, while he does not suffer from cramped growth conditions.
Planted singly or in groups with a planting rate: 4-6pcs / m².
In order for the plants to grow and develop well, before planting, we recommend that the soil be freed from annual and perennial weeds (especially perennials). There is no need to use expensive special substrates.
The planting time of perennials in containers grown in the nursery lasts the entire growing season. Spring is considered the best time, although planting in August, September and even October also gives good results. Perennials planted in late autumn must be protected from freezing.
It is better to buy seedlings in a plastic container with prolonged (long-lasting) fertilizers, so the plant is not dug up with inevitable damage to the root system and is guaranteed to take root after planting.
Care: The most important maintenance operations are, first of all, watering, weeding, removal of dry or damaged parts. In early spring, last year's leaves are cut short, and a handful of complex mineral fertilizer (NPK) granules are poured at the foot of the bush, which will gradually dissolve in the soil over the season.
On hot, sultry days of the spring-summer period, the plant needs periodic, moderate watering.
Diseases and pests: Virtually immune to disease and pest attack. Untreated plants can be affected by anthracnose (leaf spot), powdery mildew and aphids. To protect the plant from diseases and fungal infections, it is necessary to treat the plants with fungicides (Skor, Switch, Maxim, Ordan, Horus, Quadris, Ridomil Gold, etc.). In hot, dry weather, Festuca can be attacked by spider mites. In the spring and again in the summer, preventive spraying with insecticides is carried out (Aktara, Angio, Actellik, Match).
Of course, it is better that the “diagnosis” is made by a specialist. But, as a rule, a modern gardener using the Internet can independently identify the enemy and choose the right methods and means of plant protection. It is better to carry out preventive treatments once a month than to treat when the pest multiplies and “eats up” the plant. An example is the war of Ukrainian gardeners with Colorado beetles, which, like their human "cotton" namesakes - the Kremlin occupiers of the "Colorado", are gluttonous and climb into other people's gardens. The first and second should be destroyed before spreading over large areas.
Ground pests: An untreated plant can damage scoop, bark beetle, spider mite. Compared to the voracious larva of the May beetle, other pests on a well-groomed plant are rare. Over the past 10 years, the beetle, especially on humus-rich, weed-free soils, has become the most dangerous pest of garden plants in Ukraine. One beetle larva can gnaw the root system of a young 10-30 cm seedling in 1 day, completely destroying it. From mid-April, when we see the first flying beetle, we URGENTLY treat the crown with any of the numerous preparations based on imidacloprid, for example, Prestige (Bayer), Antikhrushch, while part of the solution must fall on the trunk (10 cm above the ground) and the root neck and not spill to the side . Similar treatments are repeated every 40-50 days of the growing season. We spill it into the soil according to the instructions, Aktara is also effective. Processing along the crown and gravy along the root neck into the ground from the end of April to September 1 time in 40-60 days.
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It is not so easy to see the beauty in a plant devoid of bright flowers and an attractive crown. There is no need for imagination here. However, an ornamental garden is a human fantasy on the theme of an earthly paradise. Elymus, if you meet him on the sea coast, is an ordinary cereal grass, something like a small reed, although with a pleasant blue tint of leaves. In its free state, the elimus spreads out to the sides in the manner of a giant couch grass, popping up here and there, and unceremoniously intruding into neighboring bushes. But an underground restriction gives it a completely different look.
Kolosnyak- one of the first Europeans to appear in ornamental gardens long before the fashion for gardens in a natural style came. It is unpretentious and frost-resistant, and can grow anywhere in boundless Russia from the subtropics of Sochi to the tundra regions. In a fairly warm climate, elimus acts as a winter-green species gradually changing leaves. In central Russia, the leaves of the plant fade for the winter. He is sun-loving, moisture-loving, and at the same time drought-resistant, prefers sandy loamy soils. In the garden, the most favorable conditions for its growth are formed on light, highly fertile, moisture-intensive soils. As an option, we can recommend a mixture composed of soddy soil, peat (or manure humus) and sand, mixed in a ratio of 1:2:2.
To prevent sprawl, the grate is planted in a sufficiently deep - at least 30 cm dish, the edges of which slightly rise above the soil level. The walls must be impenetrable, otherwise the plant will quickly find a gap. Based on design experience, the most suitable vessel diameter is between 10 and 30 cm. Growing, the grate completely fills the volume allotted to it with roots, while it is not oppressed by cramped growth conditions, and can grow without transplantation, fertilizing itself, for as long as you like. Grasshopper care is primarily watering. In early spring, last year's leaves are cut short, and a handful of granules of complex (NPK) mineral fertilizer are poured into the foot of the bush, which will gradually dissolve in the soil over the season.
botanical minimum.
Sandy grate or elimus (Elymus arenarius) - refers to long-rhizome cereals. In the wild, it is often found along the sandy shores of the seas and lakes of the European North, where it often forms extensive sparse thickets. Plant height during heading reaches 1 m, ears are thick, straight and strong, up to 20 cm long. Leaves up to 3 cm wide, up to 70 cm long, hard and sharp. The whole plant has a beautiful gray-blue color.
blue fountain garden classic.
Elimus is a vivid example of how an inconspicuous plant in nature, through design tricks, can be turned into the central object of the front part of the garden. An extraordinary impression is made up of the color and texture of grass leaves, complemented by an unusual growth pattern acquired by a cramped landing.
In decorative design, bunches of grate are good in the middle or near plans of a traditional mixborder. To revive the view, it can be planted alone among a flat lawn. A bunch of elimus, planted in a narrow (10 cm in diameter) pipe, can become an allegorical embodiment of a spring gushing from the earth. In this case, it is good to disguise the pipe in a pile of medium-sized boulders, which will look like a stream of water in a rocky placer. Elimus is good in many types of rocky garden: in architectural rock garden; flat rockeries; organic on the slope of an alpine hill, in its lower part or at the foot.
The grate is a perennial grass that adorns the front garden with beautiful, feathery bushes. Not everyone can immediately understand the beauty of this plant, but without it a complex flower arrangement may not be complete.
Botanical description
Kolosnyak has taken root in the prairies and in the arid territories of North America and Eurasia. Some of its varieties live in the desert of Argentina. Feels good from the subtropics to the tundra. Among gardeners, many of its other names are common: elimus, couch grass, vostrets, vlosnets. The genus belongs to the grass family.
The underground part of the plant is very developed, it consists of powerful, horizontally growing roots. Growth buds develop on underground shoots. The stem of the grate is dense, erect. In different varieties, the height of vegetation ranges from 20 cm to 1.5 m.
Thin, stiff leaves are arranged in dense bunches closer to the ground. The foliage is elongated, in the form of ribbons, with a pointed edge, 2-15 mm wide. The lower surface is smooth, the upper surface may be rough or covered with hairs. The color of the ground part is dark green or gray-gray with a silvery sheen. In autumn, the stems and leaves turn yellow or brown.
In June-July, inflorescences appear in the form of dense spikes. The height of the inflorescences is 7-30 cm. They consist of many short, perpendicular spikelets.
Popular varieties
Widespread across the North American prairies. The height of the perennial is 30-120 cm. It grows in dense bunches, gradually capturing large areas. Propagation occurs by self-sowing, since the variety does not have creeping roots. The leaves are dark green, 2-6 mm thick. In the middle of summer, large ears of 8-20 cm long appear.
This herbaceous perennial 60-120 cm high is found in the cold regions of the temperate zone of Eurasia. The territory is covered with compact green bunches connected underground by a common root system. The foliage is dense, gray or dark green with a blue tint. The width of the leaves is 0.8-2 cm, and the length is 50-60 cm. The inflorescences are large, lush, their length is 15-30 cm, and the width is about 2.5 cm. It blooms all summer. The species is frost-resistant, withstands temperatures down to -23 ° C.
Found in Japan, China and North America, preferring coastal sandstones. Forms green, very dense bunches 50-100 cm high. They are at some distance from each other, although they are connected by creeping roots. In one turf there are several shortened shoots, densely covered with foliage. The leaves are hard, rough, 15 mm wide. During the flowering period, dense spikes up to 25 cm long are formed. It blooms from June to July. Withstands frost down to -34°C.
Distributed in North America and Eurasia. The plant reaches a height of 50-120 cm. In the lower part, dense bushes are formed from shortened stems, densely covered with foliage at the base. Broad leaves (1.5-2 cm) are about 30-50 cm long. The roots are creeping, strong. During the flowering period, it produces long, thick stems. Absolutely naked and very stable shoots rise above the foliage. They are crowned with magnificent ears of corn. The length of the inflorescence is 15-35 cm, with a width of about 2 cm. It blooms from June to August, resistant to frost down to -25 ° C.
Prefers steppes and salt licks of Eurasia, found from Siberia to Ciscaucasia. Forms compact bushes 35-80 cm high. Bare, rough stems strongly branched at the base. Leaf rosettes are formed closer to the ground and consist of gray or bluish narrow leaves. Not very long foliage, 3-5 mm wide, covered with sparse hairs on top. The inflorescence in the form of a lush spike 6-8 cm long is formed in June and blooms for a month. From August comes the period of seed ripening.
It lives in semi-deserts, sandy steppes and on roadside embankments in the southern and central parts of Eurasia. A plant 40-130 cm high is a dense turf of shortened shoots, densely covered with foliage. The leaves are soft, longer than the stems, fluttering freely in the wind and curving towards the ground. The width of the leaves is 0.4-1.5 cm. The peduncle is very thick, strong, densely covered with villi. The length of a dense spike is 10-35 cm, and the width is 1.5-3.5 cm. The plant blooms already in May, and begins to bear fruit from the end of June.
Reproduction methods
Grasshopper is propagated by vegetative or seed methods. The division of the bush is carried out in spring or in the first half of summer. Young shoots with their own roots are dug up and transplanted in a new place. The plant takes root very well and does not require special care. Side branches quickly form near the rooted stem. Seedlings begin to bloom in the same or next year. Turf grows quickly.
With seed propagation, seedlings are not grown. Seeds are sown immediately in open ground in early spring. In mid-April, the first shoots appear, but in the year of sowing, the plants look very rare and small. The appearance of a lush shock with large ears and high inflorescences, the grate acquires only after 2-3 years.
Features of plant care
Elimus grows very well in open sun, on light soils. Suitable for growing on sandy, sandy, pebbly or rocky soils. Prefers neutral or alkaline substrates with the addition of lime. It is even resistant to severe drought, therefore it rarely needs watering, it is content with natural precipitation. It does not tolerate flooding and stagnant water, especially during the snowmelt period. Fertility is not demanding. Does without fertilizers or is content with rare organic dressings.
The grate grows very quickly in favorable conditions, therefore it is perceived by many as a weed. In a small garden or flower garden, the question of limiting vegetation may arise. It is convenient to plant a plant in a large tub with dense walls that the rhizome cannot penetrate.
The container is buried in the ground, leaving some of the sides above the surface. This will protect against the random spread of vegetation. For the same purpose, it is recommended to cut the spikelets before they are fully ripe in order to prevent self-seeding. The plant retains an attractive appearance for a long time and does not need periodic rejuvenation and transplants. It does not suffer from pests and diseases.
The grate is resistant to severe frosts and does not need shelter. In areas where a large amount of snow falls, a film can be used to protect against excess moisture during the snowmelt period.
Application in the garden
Compact grate bushes in the form of bluish fountains will decorate any flower bed. Preferably use in rockeries or on stone masonry. Looks good in mixborders, retains its shape, does not spread. Can be used on high sandy shores or hills. Roots effectively anchor sand mounds.
Bright blooming letniki look good in decorative plantings with grate.
The vegetation is used as a fodder crop.
Large ears are highly decorative and are used in dry flower arrangements. They are harvested in mid-summer, before the seeds begin to ripen. Cut inflorescences are collected in small bunches up to 15 pieces and hung down with a spikelet in a shaded, well-ventilated place.
