How to Harvest Seeds From Hakone Grass
Japanese hakone grass is an attractive addition to beds and borders in the home landscape. The grass comes in both variegated and solid color varieties and grows in a bush-like mound. The tops of the grass fold over and cascade down, adding a graceful look to the plant. The grass grows small green flowers that often go unnoticed amongst the grass blades. Harvesting these seeds allows you to propagate the grass the following year to new areas of your landscape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Check the plants for flowers in late summer, usually between August and October. The flowers will be on 8- to 10-inch stalks that may blend in with the grass.
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Place a small cloth bag over the flower heads once they wilt. Secure it with a rubber band or paper clip.
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Cut off the flower stalk using sharp scissors near the base of the hakone plant. Hang the stems upside down in a warm, dry room to finish maturing. Allow to dry for two weeks.
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Remove the paper clip and shake the flower head into the cloth bag, dislodging any remaining seeds. Discard the stems or compost them.
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Pour the seeds into a bowl and separate any chafe or other plant material from the seeds. Place the seeds into an envelope labeled with the seed type and year harvested.
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Tips & Warnings
Store seeds in a cool, dry place until ready to plant in spring. If you are storing them in the refrigerator, place them in a sealed jar.
Place a packet of silica gel, available from florists, into the envelope to absorb excess moisture during storage.
Hakone grass does not have a good germination rate as many seeds aren't fertile. Collect and plant twice as many seeds as desired plants to make up for this.
