Native to the United States, panic rod (Panicum virgatum) commonly grows in Midwestern grasslands and eastern savannas. This plant can be used as feed or to make biofuel, but its height and simple beauty make it a great choice for the home garden as well. The panic rod has deep roots, and can withstand floods, so it's a good choice if you're worried about eroding your property. Start by choosing a variety of the plant that suits your needs, then plant it in a location where it can thrive for years to come.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Choose a Variety and Planting Location
Step 1. Choose a variety of panic rod
If you are looking for the panic rod at a local nursery you may find a plant labeled a "rod", but there are indeed many varieties of different colors and sizes. The panic rod blooms for about 6 months, and during winter and spring it is usually brown. These are things to remember when choosing a strain for your garden. Here are some varieties commonly grown in home gardens:
- Northwind: grows to 1.2-1.8m and produces yellow flowers.
- Cloud Nine: grows to 1.5-2.7m and produces bright yellow flowers.
- Heavy Metal: Grows to 1.2-1.5m and produces light pink flowers.
- Shenandoah: Only grows to 90cm-1.2m and produces rusty pink flowers.
- Rotstrahlbush: grows to 1.2-1.5m and produces pinkish flowers.
- Warrier: grows to 1.2-1.8m and produces green flowers.
Step 2. Choose a spot that can accommodate the plant in height
Depending on the variety you have chosen, the panic rod can grow up to 90cm or nearly 3 meters. You will need to consider this when choosing the right place to plant. Planting the panic rod in the back of the garden, behind the smaller plants, will ensure that it doesn't obscure the lower elements.
- Make sure there is enough space for the plant to grow without blocking the windows. Choose a strategic location between two windows and don't plant it in front of something you don't want to block.
- Even if the panic rod grows in height, it won't get very wide. Don't worry about the hair; it will never be wider than half the height.
Step 3. Look for a sunny spot
The panic rod is native to grasslands and savannas, wide open spaces with bright, sunny skies. Find a spot in the garden that is similar to its natural habitat, a sunny spot with no trees or buildings to provide shade.
- Too much shade will cause the roots to spread out, weakening the plant. Under the right conditions, the roots of rod panic sink very deep.
- Partial shade is acceptable if you don't have a fully sunny spot, but full sun is ideal for this plant.
Step 4. Don't worry about the condition of the soil
Panic rod is a hardy plant that can survive even in not very rich soil. In most cases it will not be necessary to pre-treat the soil before implantation. If you are concerned about the quality of the soil, check the variety of panic rod you have chosen and do some research on the internet to check the conditions of the soil that it prefers.
- Sandy or clayey soils are suitable for almost any variety of rod panic, so you won't need to treat the soil to change its structure.
- Dry and moist soils will do, too, although you shouldn't flood the roots too much.
Step 5. Consider planting panic in a container
If you live in one of the few places where the panic rod doesn't grow naturally, you can grow it in pots. Choose your favorite variety and plant it in regular, untreated potting soil. Make sure the pot you use is strong and deep enough to hold the roots without forcing them.
Method 2 of 3: Planting and Caring for a Panic Rod
Step 1. Plant in the first days of spring
It's the best time of year to plant the panic rod, because it gives the roots time to grow strong before the temperature gets too high. Plant as soon as the soil is workable, but before the last frost. The soil temperature should exceed 15 ° C when planting.
- You may need to adjust the planting time to your region. If you live in a place where the soil temperature never drops much below 15 ° C, you can also plant in the fall or winter.
- If you live in a place with severe, cold winters, you may have to wait until late spring to plant.
- The soil is workable when its temperature exceeds 15 ° C.
Step 2. Purchase the sprouts for planting
Planting sprouts instead of seeds is the easiest way to get an ornamental rod panic in your garden, because the seeds germinate slowly. To plant the sprouts:
- Work the soil for more than half a meter to accommodate the root. Remove obstructions such as stones and other roots.
- Plant the shoots 30cm apart. Water the area gently to allow the soil to settle.
Step 3. If you want to plant the seeds of the panic rod, do so in lightly worked soil
This is the best planting method for creating a field, and not for planting a plant or two for ornamental reasons. Plow the soil 1 to 2 cm lightly, using a garden spade or plow, then sow on the ground. The seeds will germinate slowly.
- If you want to try planting without plowing, rod panic seeds may still take root.
- Water the planting area immediately after sowing to help settle the seeds.
- In a garden, prune the shoots when they reach 5 cm in height. Leave 30 cm of space between them.
Step 4. Let the sun and rain take care of the rod panic
When the seeds have taken root, there is no need to water them. The panic rod can get all the water it needs from the spring and summer rains. It will begin to grow tall when the roots are established.
- Don't fertilize the rod panic. Often no fertilizer will be needed to make this plant grow healthy. In fact, you risk damaging it.
- If your soil is very poor, however, you can fertilize it lightly in the spring, and in very dry conditions you can water it from time to time.
- Avoid treating rod panic with pesticides and herbicides. In the case of ornamental rod panic, no pest or weed poses a real threat.
Step 5. Prune the plant in late winter
The plant will grow very tall in the summer, then dry up and die in the winter. In late winter, cut the plant back to 5-10cm. The new plant will begin to sprout as the weather warms up and will soon reach its adult height again.
Method 3 of 3: Growing a Panic Rod Field
Step 1. Watch out for the crickets
If you are growing an entire field of panic rod, the main pest you need to worry about is the grasshopper, which poses a threat to sprouts when panic is planted on an agricultural scale. If grasshoppers become a problem, there are two main ways to tackle the problem:
- Dust the plants with flour. Use an all-purpose flour and dust the grass and bugs. After two days, wash it off.
- Treat the plant with chemical pesticides. While you should avoid the more potent pesticides, especially if you are using the panic rod as feed or habitat for farm animals, you may need to resort to this option as a last resort.
Step 2. Harvest after flowering
If you're panicking to harvest hay or biofuel, the best time to do this is after flowering, although you can wait for the first frost of the year if you prefer. If you do one crop early in the year, you may be able to get a second crop before winter.
Step 3. Cut the panic when it has reached the height of 30-45cm
Livestock love to eat panic rod, so it is an excellent source of sustainable food. Make sure it has grown to at least 30 cm in height before cutting it, so as not to damage the roots of the plant.
- Stop mowing when it reaches 12-13 cm in height.
- Let the grass sit for 30-60 days before cutting it again.
Step 4. Burn the rod panic fields every 3-5 years
Burning the fields is a commonly used technique for many types of grass because it stimulates healthy regrowth. It also reduces mulch, and this is necessary if you have planted grass to give shelter to birds and animals that need space between the stems to thrive. There may be restrictions that limit the practice of burning the fields, so be sure to follow local laws.
Advice
- The panic rod is suitable for grazing in warm climates and a source of high-quality hay for livestock. It is also a valuable herb, used in the United States to stabilize the soil on sand dunes, on land used as open pit mines, on embankments and other critical areas.
- Growing a full crop of rod panic takes time and patience. Plan to harvest about one third of the full crop in the first year and two thirds the following year.
- Panic rod seeds that haven't been stored properly for at least 12 months need a frost to germinate. You should plant them before the last frost. If the seeds have been stored properly for 12 months or more, they can be planted in winter or in the first half of spring.
- Weed competition is one of the main impediments to obtaining panic rod fields that reach maximum production.
- Do not apply nitrogen during the year you plant the seeds, as this will also stimulate the growth of weeds.
- Apply phosphorus and potassium before or during planting, as required by the soil analysis.
