Miscanthus giganteus transplanting

[Catscratch]

Years ago I was gifted some rhizomes. Planted them and they've done great. Just tried transplanting them for the first time. Everything on the internet says to do it dormant. I tried it anyway. It's in my front yard so water isn't an issue, but they are shooting up new spikes like crazy. They seem to respond well to being cut up and moved.

 

[goatman]

Wait till next year. I did this and they exploded. I cut the stalks down to about 8" then used a sawsall to get about a 8" square. Spade was to much hassle. There are a lot of rhizomes in a 8" square. I transplanted shortly after green up.

 

[Bill]

They're pretty tough plants. I think you can transplant them anytime.

 

[Catscratch]

^^^ That was kind of my point. Seems like a mid summer transplant is going to work fine. Had I listened to internet research i would have waited until late fall.

 

[Westwind]

Wife and I did about 80 yards of transplants in the spring to create a border. I used a sharp spade but wish I would have used a Sawzall, thats a great idea.

After we did it I read somewhere to plant them sideways? I did them roots down.

 

[Westwind]

^^^ That was kind of my point. Seems like a mid summer transplant is going to work fine. Had I listened to internet research i would have waited until late fall.

Got ahead by a year!

 

[Catscratch]

Got ahead by a year!

Yep! I'm hoping for some afternoon shade from this planting. The quicker the better!

 

[Bill]

In a spot like that where you can water it with no weed competition and a little fertilizer it should grow pretty fast. Still probably 3 years for the roots to expand really good but way ahead of just plunking down in a field and walking away.

 

[Dantana]

For those that have planted miscanthus, have you had any that are slow to wake up? I seem to have at least 25% that havent sent a stalk out yet. Worried they are going to sit in the ground and rot.

 

[Bill]

For those that have planted miscanthus, have you had any that are slow to wake up? I seem to have at least 25% that havent sent a stalk out yet. Worried they are going to sit in the ground and rot.

I had an entire double row about 300 foot long that did nothing the first summer. We had heavy rains and I thought for sure it was to much water and the rhizomes rotted.

They all came up the next spring. But there may have been some growth the first year I didn’t see. Weeds were pretty thick and high. But I did go looking for them and never found one.

 

[goatman]

I've had some not sprout the first year I thought was from not enough rain. Like Bill came through the next year. 25% loss isn't out of the norm. Like trees some years are better. Year 2 or 3 just take some rhizomes from the others and fill in. That said miscanthus doesn't like wet ground.

 

[Brian662]

My stuff in MN got a case of getting frosted out this winter I'm afraid. We had -25F (-40F with wind) and no snow. This is the 3rd growing season and it looks almost like a first year stand again.

This was planted the same week but a little further south in WI. 3rd year stand closing in on the 12' tall blind platform. Going to be an awesome access tunnel this fall.