Black mondo grass is an unusualornamental grass, even though it isn’t really grass at all.
Black mondo grass functions as aground cover(valued especially for semi-shady areas) or as anedging plant.
It’s best to plant it in spring so that it becomes well-established long before its first winter.
David Beaulieu
Soil
Give black mondo grass a soil that drains well.
Water
Keep the soil of black mondo grass consistently moist.
A wide range of humidity levels is tolerated as long as the soil is kept moist.
Fertilizer
To feed the plant, an annual dressing ofcompostis helpful but not obligatory.
Such is the case with black mondo grass.
Its seed is slow to germinate (it can take three months).
It must have drainage holes in the bottom and be an appropriate size for your plant.
To ensure superior drainage, add about an inch of small stones to the bottom.
Fill the pot to within one inch of the top withpotting soil.
Make a hole that is slightly larger than the root ball.
The top of the root ball should rest at the same level as the top of the hole.
Scoop potting soil around the sides of the hole to fill it.
Tamp the potting soil down all around the plant.
Avoid, however, using an excessive amount of mulch.
The right amount of mulch is about a 2-inch layer.
Compost makes a fine mulch for this purpose, adding nutrients to the soil as a bonus.
Slugs and snails are the main pest problem for black mondo grass.
There are several methods for controlling these pests.
Commercial products include poison baits and repellents.
But there are also several homemade methods you could use to save money.
One of the better-known consists of sinking a saucer of beer into the ground.
The pests are drawn to it, fall in, and drown.
As with pests, few diseases commonly attack black mondo grass, but one that does isroot rot.
Common Problems With Black Mondo Grass
Excessive moisture is the main underlying problem for black mondo grass.
Slug and snail pests thrive in excessive moisture in the garden.
Meanwhile, root rot is a fungal disease, and fungus is always more at home under wetter conditions.
Sometimes, there is little it’s possible for you to do about excessive moisture.
Other times, though, you do have some control over the matter.
For example, you might avoid overhead watering: Irrigate, instead, at ground level.
Proper spacing for black mondo grass is 4 inches.
The plant is sometimes sold as ‘Arabicus,’ ‘Black Dragon,’ or ‘Ebony Knight.’
