Purple Fountain Grass is a low-maintenance plant that will not require a lot of your time if you give it the right growing and living conditions. This does include the pot or container that you keep the plant in. If the pot is not the right one, it could negatively affect the plant’s health. So, how do you care for this plant when you keep it in a pot or container?
For Purple Fountain Grass, you need to ensure the pot is 8 inches wider than the plant’s root ball in all directions when the plant is in the middle. Make sure you use nutrient-rich, loose, and well-draining soil that has low acidity. This plant can be planted with companion plants in the same pot.
What are the water requirements of Purple Fountain Grass? How do you grow this plant from seeds successfully? When will you need to repot your Purple Fountain Grass? Let us find out!
How To Grow Purple Fountain Grass Organically From Seeds?
Purple Fountain Grass is a stunning ornamental plant with burgundy or purple leaves, making this plant stand out wherever it is kept. Many people love this plant as it is a low-maintenance plant. This plant can be easily grown and kept in a pot or container for its whole life.
To grow Purple Fountain Grass organically from seeds, you first need to make sure the seeds are dried, as this will help you break open the seed capsule if you have picked the seeds yourself. If you brought the seeds from a shop, then you can just start planting.
It is best to start your Purple Fountain Grass off indoors so you can monitor the plant environment, and it is best to start planting these seeds in the early spring. So let us go through the steps to grow your Purple Fountain Grass from seeds:
- Get a pot or container ready with an organic potting soil mixture that has perlite or peat moss in it as this plant needs well-draining soil
- Dig small ½ inch (1cm) holes into the soil about two inches (5cm) apart from each other
- Carefully place one seed in each hole and cover the seed with soil
- Gently water the planted seeds just until the soil is damp, do not overwater
- Place the pot in a warm location with bright light; it can be placed in partial shade if needed
- Keep the soil moist, and the plants should begin to sprout in about 21 days
Once the seeds have grown two leaves, you can transplant them into individual containers/pots or your garden. Ensure all the pots or containers you use have good drainage.
How Often Should Purple Fountain Grass Be Watered/Trimmed?
Purple Fountain Grass is a drought-tolerant plant that can handle some stress or “loving neglect.” This does mean that the plant enjoys having its soil more on the drier side. So, you need to wait for the soil to dry before you water your Purple Fountain Grass again.
But then, when you do water your Purple Fountain Grass, you need to water it well until the soil is moist all the way through the pot/container but be sure not to overwater it as it is prone to root rot.
The amount of time between watering will be determined by the temperature you keep your Purple Fountain Grass in. The hotter the temperature, the more often the plant will need to be watered. You will need to come up with a watering schedule that matches your plant’s living conditions.
Purple Fountain Plants do not need to be trimmed regularly, but if you find any dead, dying, diseased or yellow leaves on the plant, it will benefit the plant’s health if you trimmed these off. Ensure you trim these leaves from the base using sharp shears or scissors.
What Size Pot/Container Do You Need For Purple Fountain Grass?
Purple Fountain grass is a fast-growing plant that can easily grow between 3 to 5 feet (90 to 150cm) tall and about 2 to 4 feet (60 to 120cm) wide when fully mature. This means that you need to choose a planting pot or container that can sustain this plant’s fast growth.
The best size pot or container to use for your Purple Fountain Grass is one that can house the plant for at least two years before needing to be changed. To ensure your pot or container is big enough for this, you need a container that is bigger than your plant’s root ball by 8 inches (20cm) or more in width from the edge of the pot to the plant when the plant is in the middle of the pot.
As your Purple Fountain Grass grows, your will need to adjust the pot or container you keep it in to ensure the plant stays healthy.
When To Repot Your Purple Fountain Grass
Your Purple Fountain Grass will eventually outgrow the pot or container it is in, especially if it stays in the same pot for a few years. There are methods you can use to tell if it is time to repot your Purple Fountain Grass yet or not.
If you pick up the pot/container and you can see the roots of your Purple Fountain Grass growing through the pot’s drainage holes, then you need to repot your plant. If your Purple Fountain Grass has roots that are beginning to show above the soil in the pot/container, then you should repot your plant as soon as you can.
If there are more of the plant’s roots in the pot than soil in your Purple Fountain Grass plant’s pot/container, then this is an urgent matter, and your plant needs to be repotted immediately as Purple Fountain Grass does not like to be root bound at all, and this can cause problems with the plant’s health.
How To Transplant Purple Fountain Grass
Transplanting your Purple Fountain plant is an easy process, but it is still essential to get it right if you want your plant to establish itself well in its new home. You can plant your Purple Fountain Grass plant into a different container/pot, or you can plant it into your garden or a planter with some companion plants.
Suppose you live outside the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 and want your plant to last longer than one season. In that case, it is recommended to transplant your plant into a new container/pot as Purple Fountain Grass cannot survive in harsh conditions and freezing winters.
Transplanting Purple Fountain Grass To Another Pot/Container
Let us go over the steps you can follow to transplant your Purple Fountain Grass into a different container/pot.
- Water your Purple Fountain Grass a few hours before you begin to loosen the soil
- Prepare the new pot/container with the correct soil
- Carefully lift the Purple Fountain Grass out of its soil
- Gently brush off any excess and loose soil from the roots
- Check the roots for any sign of root rot
- If root rot is present, carefully trim off the affected roots
- Place the Purple Fountain Grass in its new pot and cover the roots with soil
- Water the plant thoroughly to ensure it establishes well in its new home
Transplanting Purple Fountain Grass To A Planter
Let us go over the steps you can follow to transplant your Purple Fountain Grass into a planter with some companion plants.
- Choose your companion plants, ensuring they can thrive in the same conditions that a Purple Fountain Grass plant grows in
- Choose a planter that is big enough to hold all the plants with at least 8 inches (20cm) of space between each plant as this allows for some extra growth
- Water your Purple Fountain Grass and other plants a few hours before you begin to loosen the soil
- Prepare the new planter with the correct soil
- Carefully lift the Purple Fountain Grass out of its soil
- Gently brush off any excess old soil from the roots
- Check the roots for any sign of root rot
- If root rot is present, carefully trim off the affected roots
- Place the Purple Fountain Grass in its new pot and cover the roots with soil
- Repeat this process with the other plants, ensuring you are spacing them out correctly in the planter
- Water the plants thoroughly to ensure it establishes well in its new home
Transplanting Purple Fountain Grass To The Garden
Let us go through the steps you can follow to transplant your Purple Fountain Grass into your garden to help add a lovely pop of color.
- Prepare a place in your garden bed for your Purple Fountain Grass, ensuring it is weed free and that it has the correct soil for this plant, and that it is in bright and direct sunlight
- Do a soil test to ensure the soil is filled with nutrients and has a low acidity
- Water your Purple Fountain Grass a few hours before you begin, as this will help to loosen the soil
- Prepare a hole in the garden bed big enough for the plant to fit comfortably and at least 8 inches (20cm) away from any other plant
- Carefully lift the Purple Fountain Grass out of its current pot
- Gently brush off any excess old soil from the Purple Fountain Grass plants roots
- Check the roots for any sign of root rot
- If root rot is present, carefully trim off the affected roots
- Place the Purple Fountain Grass into the ground and gently cover the roots with the excess soil you got when you dug the hole
- Water the plant thoroughly to ensure it establishes well in its new home
Conclusion
Purple Fountain Grass can live quite comfortably in a pot or container for its entire life if you provide it with the right living conditions. When this plant is kept in a pot indoors, it can survive through harsh winters as you are keeping it warm. These plants are low-maintenance and can live for a long time in your home.