Worth knowing:
The Foxtail Barley is an up to 60 cm tall, perennial barley variety that is due to its limited frost resistance often be cultivated as an annual plant. Its soft, overhanging foliage leaves have a green coloration during summer, while the from June until August blooming, aristate silvery grass seed heads change their colouring with the end of summer to beige with a reddish touch. The weed shows best to advantage, when planted in a group. The decorative inflorescences are suited for dry flower bouquets as well.
Natural Location:
The Foxtail Barley has its natural habitat in Alaska and Canada, but it can also be found in East Asia.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. However, for the annual cultivation it is recommended starting the propagation in early spring. Gently press the seeds into moist potting compost that ideally contains about 25% of perlite for a better permeation. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out, but don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20° and 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The best way to do so, is by daily using the water sprayer to moisten the soil. Usually it takes about two to three weeks until germination. In May, the Foxtail Barley can be planted out, but it has to be protected against possible late night-frosts.
Place:
The Foxtail Barley prefers a warm and sunny place to be kept.
Care:
The Foxtail Barley prefers a nutritious soil and even tolerates a slightly salty earth. In the summer, it should be kept rather dry than moist since it doesn’t do well with waterlogging. From May until late autumn, during the growth period, you should provide the plant regularly with some fertilizer.
During the winter:
In temperate regions with a mild winter, the Foxtail Barley can be cultivated with a proper protection as perennial plant, but usually it is annual.
Picture credits:
- © © Matt Lavin - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Matt Lavin - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
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