Setaria Italica Red Jewel

Description

Beautiful annual grass with burgundy foliage and soft foxtail-shaped flower heads. It’s good in mixed borders with flowering perennials, great in the cutting garden for cut flower production, and good for dried flowers too. Like most grasses, Setaria is easy to grow and quickly produces masses of stems for cutting. At the end of the season allow some seed heads to form on this ornamental millet and you’ll have your own supply of nutritious food for your garden birds.

Sowing Indoors: Sow onto the surface of a free-draining, moist seed-sowing compost and cover lightly with soil or vermiculite. Keep at around 15 to 20°C (60 to 68°F) Germination should take place in two to four weeks. Maintain a temperature of 15°C (60°F) after germination until the seedlings are established
Once seedlings are large enough to handle, separate them out and grow them individually in their own pot containing gritty, well-drained compost to grow on. Once the danger of frost has passed the seedlings can be transplanted outdoors. Plant 60cm (24in) apart in full sun and well-drained soil.
Sowing Direct:
Ensure all ground is weed free and well-prepared before sowing. Sow the seed 2 to 3cm (¾ to1¼in) deep in rows 60 to 90cm (25 to 35in) apart with a distance of 10 to 30cm (4 to 12 in) between the plants. The rate and speed of germination will depend on the soil temperature and weather conditions. Once the plants are growing strongly, thin the plants to a distance of 60cm (24in) apart.