Sweet Grass Culture
Answered by: Conad Richter
Question from: Les Barnes
Posted on: May 11, 2001

I recently received a shipment of sweet grass plugs from Richters--Thanks!

Question: The soil here is great for any vegetables (with seasonal limitations) but I am concerned about the moisture requirements for sweet grass. Do you have any suggestions for "creating" the ideal growing environment for sweet grass (mulch, etc.)? I do have some wet marshy areas but I am afraid that the sheep (over 1,000 and counting) will eat it?

While sweetgrass does prefer moist, rich soil, it does well in most good garden soils. Probably it will do fine in any garden bed that can grow annual flowers or vegetables.

Adding organic matter and siting your plants in a low part of the garden will help to create moist conditions. Sweetgrass prefers full sun, but can grow in partial shade.

Sweetgrass does not have a long history as a garden plant. Leaves are wildcrafted still from wild stands to make sweetgrass products. There is not much information on sweetgrass culture. We do not, for example, have optimum soil data such as pH or fertility levels and fertilization. However, at Richters we have found that it is one of the easiest herbs we grow and it never seems to mind the varied and sometimes harsh conditions it gets in our greenhouses.

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