How to Plant Blue Stem Grass
- 1). Obtain seeds or plugs for your bluestem planting. If you already have bluegrass, you can collect seed from your existing plants during September and October and store them in the refrigerator until the next spring. Seeds are also available commercially from a number of retailers.
Because bluestem grass reproduces primarily through the use of rhizomes, it is better to plant plugs or small patches of grass and allow them to spread, according to the USDA. These are also available for sale through nurseries or retailers.
If you prefer to grow your own bluestem plugs, plant seeds 1/2 inch deep in small pots. Keep the soil moist. The plugs are ready to be transplanted when the grass can be removed as one unit. - 2). Select a site. Bluestem thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 9. It grows well in a variety of soils, provided the area is not continually wet. Bluestem also takes a bit longer to germinate than cool season grasses do, so don't count on it is a quick-fix for hills that suffer from erosion, according to the USDA.
- 3). Kill off any old grass, if necessary. If you have plenty of time for the transition, it may help to grow crops in the area for a couple years before you try to grow bluestem. Otherwise, try using chemical herbicides like gramoxone or glyphosate to help kill cool-season grasses. Combine either of these products with ammonium sulfate to increase their effectiveness.
- 4). Test the soil to find out any major fertilizing needs. Phosphorus and potassium are especially important to the growth of bluestem. Apply any necessary fertilizer, along with nitrogen if the soil quality is especially poor.
- 5). Till the area you wish to plant. If you have a no-till drill, you may opt to drill individual holes for the seed.
- 6). Sow bluestem seed in the spring as soon as the temperatures are a steady 55 degrees F. Cover seeds with a 1/2 inch of soil. As a general guideline, use 1/2 to 2 pounds of live seed for every 1,000 square feet you wish to plant. If you choose to use bluestem plugs, plant them about 1 1/2 feet apart.
