I found this grass did well from an Autumn sowing, the seeds germinate easily, growing strongly over winter, producing bigger plants earlier than seeds Spring started.

Officially this grass has a hardiness rating of H6 (-15°c), however, I have found this plant can suffer cold shock (foliage bleaching) if plants are exposed to extreme temperature swings following planting out.

For this reason, I have reduced the official hardiness rating for the purposes of the Grow-A-Long, to H4 (-5°c).

The hardness of plants is reduced by keeping them too warm in the greenhouse.

Give plants a good long hardening off period in late winter and be ready with horticultural fleece, a cloche or cold frame after planting if the weather is extremely cold.

You can of course plant in pots and initially locate them in a sheltered spot.

21St February 2023

Potting on Greater Quaking Grass (Briza maxima)

Separate any plants that have germinated in the same cell before potting on into 15 cell trays or pots.

Not separating plants will mean that they will have to compete for space, water and nutrients.

The resulting plants will be smaller and less healthy.

late Winter sowing

Sow only if you need to, plants will flower a tiny bit later but still around the same time so you won’t get much of a succession.

Late Winter sown plants will be shorter and more delicate.

The change is that seeds will need to be started somewhere warm around 18C. The greenhouse is much colder than it was in the Autumn when it was naturally both warm and humid.