Maned barley is gaining more and more popularity among gardeners every year, and this is not surprising: tolerance to growing conditions and outstanding aesthetic qualities of the plant will not leave anyone indifferent. But for the cereal to bring only joy, it is necessary to know the subtleties and nuances of cultivation and use.
Description
Maned barley is perhaps the most charming representative of herbaceous plants from the cereal family, who came to us from North America. Most often, in the wild, it is found in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, as well as in the steppes of its historical homeland.
This is a miniature plant, not exceeding a height of half a meter, and has a direct stem and small rhizome. Blossomed barley blooms in early to mid-summer, and in September it is already bearing its first fruits.
The plant charms with silky hairs and a lush mane of the thinnest (about 2 millimeters wide) leaves, which are the hallmark of this amazing grass.
Unlike other representatives of cereals, with mane barley, ears and spines are located horizontally, forming luxurious fans of delicate vegetation, reaching a diameter of about 10 centimeters.
The planted plant eventually covers unsightly soil with a fluffy carpet, which can make any garden more attractive and interesting.
Another curious characteristic of maned barley is its color, which changes over time. As the plant grows, the color changes in the temperature range from silver-emerald to golden green. And small, slightly purple floral scales dilute the greens and add an accent.
Growing
The plant is characterized by excellent resistance to any temperature changes (in particular - to frost) and undemanding to watering: drought to this cereal will not cause much damage. However, there are rules and recommendations that a gardener needs to adhere to.
Plot
The following requirements are required for the planting of maned barley:
- The abundance of sunlight. This plant belongs to the category of photophilous, so a well-lit place will be the best choice. In the shade, the culture also grows well, but in this case, the decorative qualities of leaves and ears can suffer.
- Moderate humidity. Excess moisture adversely affects the growth and development of maned barley. Therefore, planting in lowlands with large accumulation of water will have to be abandoned.
If, due to some circumstances, the selected site has changed its properties, barley can be easily transplanted. This plant responds well enough to such manipulations.
- Lightness of the soil. Too heavy land does not allow air to pass through well, and at the same time it accumulates moisture quite well. The combination of these factors leads to the withering and death of mane barley. In this regard, almost any soil composition is selected, the main thing is that it is not dense and heavy. In the absence of alternatives, you can grow the plant in the sand. Alkaline or slightly acidic soils are ideal conditions for growth.
Time
Maned barley grows best, planted at a stable warm temperature, but not hot. In this regard, depending on the region, landing times may vary, but on average the optimal months are April and the end of August. In the first case, a fluffy mane of vegetation will appear in July, in the second - in June of next year.
Seed and seedling preparation
Stratification of seeds before planting is the key to fast and high-quality seedlings. To carry it out, you need to perform 5 simple steps:
- At the bottom of a small tank, pour a small layer of peat.
- Lay the seeds on top.
- Moisten a little improvised soil.
- Wrap with cling film, in which to make several holes with a needle, thereby providing air access to the planting material.
- For two months, place on a vegetable shelf in the refrigerator, after which you can proceed with the planting of maned barley.
The only way to propagate this plant is through seeds. Therefore, if re-planting is planned in the future, the seeds should be stocked up in advance.
To grow seedlings - planting should be planned for early September. Seeds are sown in boxes or on a special exploration site. When the winter season sets in, hatched vegetation must be removed to a warm place.
Soil preparation
Land for planting maned barley will require a minimum of effort. Preparation consists of the following three steps:
- thorough digging of the earth;
- thorough weed removal;
- application of compost and organic fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.
Sowing
There is no ideal sowing pattern for barbed mane. Therefore, it is possible to sow in any way: both in the form of the desired pattern, and with a continuous canvas covering the garden.
To obtain a particularly thick silk mane, it is recommended to plant seeds immediately for 2-3 pieces in one place.
With the sudden onset of frost, barley should be insulated. For this, a film or a special agronomic fiber that retains heat and transmits oxygen can be used.
Care
The key to a healthy and beautiful maned barley is proper watering. When moisturizing the earth, it is necessary to balance between 2 extremes: to prevent drying out and petrification of the soil and at the same time to avoid flooding the plant by all means.
This cereal can do without good nutrition, but with it it will reveal itself in all its glory. Therefore, fertilizing the soil is highly desirable, and you need to do this correctly:
- apply fertilizers no more than once per season;
- Before adding substances, carefully weed the soil from weeds and harrow it.
If the area completely covered with mane barley was not the original idea, then the plant needs to be thinned periodically, after removing the seeds.
Possible problems
Weak susceptibility to disease is an indisputable advantage of this representative of cereals, however, sometimes there are lesions of maneous barley with gray rot.
Infected plants must be removed from healthy counterparts, and their diseased parts must be removed and destroyed. Fungicides such as Fundazole, Topaz and Horus also cope well with diseases.
Application
Thanks to the attractive and outstanding appearance of the plant, maned barley feels great in landscape design and floral arrangements. Cereal will perfectly complement and revitalize the rocky areas of the garden, it will look especially harmoniously in rock gardens, both alone and in combination with other plants.
When drawing up a landscape composition, it is better to take the following plants in the company of maned barley:
- marigold;
- bicolor hare;
- calendula
- coreopsis;
- two-color godson;
- lavender;
- pennisetum;
- openwork polevole;
- rod-shaped millet;
- rudbeckia (the warm gamut will look especially harmoniously);
- sage.
In the field of floristry, the plant is used to create winter and dry bouquets. For this method of application, cereals must be prepared in advance - collected in the first phase of heading (early June) and dried in pre-assembled bundles.
If you collect and dry the grass later, the ears may begin to crumble at the most inopportune moment.
Maned barley is a unique plant, amazingly cleverly combining ease of care, a memorable appearance and versatility of use. It can be combined anywhere and with anything: whether this is a small club by the fence or the preparation of floral arrangements.