By Tammy Sons
Broom sedge bluestem (Andropogon virginicus) is considered by all to be a very popular perennial bunch grass and is used quite often in ornamental-type landscaping projects and gardens. It will begin to grow when the daytime temperatures are at an average of between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The broom sedge grows as a slender, erect culm reaching up to a height of 4 feet, with flattened sheaths that overlap and have a few scattered hairs. While the upper portion of the blue sedge is considerably rounded, the lower portion is rather flat and keeled. The blades of the broom sedge are 1/8 to ¼ inch wide and 10 to 16 inches long and are a rough texture on the upper sides. The inflorescence of the broom sedge bluestem has a panicle of 2, 3, or 4 racemes that tend to typically be about an inch long. Also, the grass's inflorescence is a fiery orange color in the fall and will remain so throughout the winter, providing beautiful color to any landscape design you might put it in.
The broom sedge will generally occur and grow in smallish clumps; it will enjoy growing in a wide array of habitats as long as the habitat provides them with the full day of sunshine in which it prospers best, be it a pasture, a grassland, a wide, airy garden, or a space of open woodland. And, while the plant prefers a sandy type of soil, it will develop and thrive just fine in a myriad of other types of soil textures as well. In addition, it grows well on eroded, low-fertility soils, and, so, makes a perfect variety of grass to plant when you are in need of an erosion control type of plant.
Though the preferred method of growing the broom sedge bluestem is from seed planting, it is possible to grow it from either plant division or seed as well. When planting the broom sedge, one should do so in the late months of winter or at a time when the average temperature falls below that in the low 60s, in other words, when it is a dormant seedling. If seeding this popular, easily grown grass, it should be seeded at a rate of 10 to 12 pure live seed pounds per acre and at a depth of approximately ½ inch. You'll want to leave the seed undisturbed once it has been broadcast. It's best to keep in mind, too, that if you are seeding under minimal seedbed preparations, it is a good idea to increase the seeding rate by at least 50%. Because the broom sedge grass will grow in low-fertility soils, it is not going to be necessary to fertilize these new plants. If you desire an increase in the plant, this will occur if is subjected to overgrazing and is frequently hayed. Should the grass plants become weedy, it is suggested that you burn, plow, or mow to rid the area of this problem. Though it is not hard to grow, it is hard to keep alive.
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