Have you considered trying native Prairie Grasses in lieu of Vetiver? Lowe's sells Switch Grass which has many of the same characteristics of vetiver, and elsewhere you can find Prairie Dropseed, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Sideoats Grama, and others. All are renowned for their deep root systems, plus have the added benefit of being native to the US. Historically, they grew from Canada all the way down to the Rio Grande. Big Bluestem (Andropogon) grows to 6'+ and roots go down to 10' or so, depending on the soil. The best part, imo, is that there's such a variety of shapes and sizes in the prairie grasses that you can fit them all over the yard.
Prairies don't occur naturally in Arizona and many prairie species are non-native here. Remember that political boundaries are artificial human constructs that rarely align with ecosystems. Plus those grass species you mention are not sterile like vétiver, meaning they have greater invasive risk. There's actually a substantial erosion problem in many prairie states but they have not been able to find a cold weather counterpart for vétiver that works in those climates.
@@lindasilva666 Depends on where you are. Panicum virgatum is a "prairie grass" but it's also native to AZ. Non-native species that are from an entirely different continent.... don't fall for the lie that they are "sterile". Remember, the same experts that tell you Vetiver is sterile were also saying that the Bradford Pear was sterile. Look at it now. The "erosion" problems in those prairie states you talk about is a direct result of the removal of the prairie grasses, not that the native grasses have failed. After all, that environment is exactly where Big Bluestem, Switch Grass, Echinacea, Little Bluestem, and a host of others actually evolved to be. The issues they face now is because they removed those herbaceous plants and replaced them with non-native species -- as well as because they removed the beavers and created so much hardtop surfaces. In Arizona, you can use native plants to your benefit. Gama Grass is native to the area, growing in the wild, and has a very solid root system. Echinacea purpurea is native to a lot of the area, and is sold in local big box stores. Even if it wasn't "native" to your specific eco-region, you are still far better off planting something that is native to the larger area than you are planting something that's from an entirely different continent. We've seen how that turns out time and time again -- kudzu, ivy, bradford pear, russian olive, bamboo, wisteria, the list is endless, and every single plant introduced by "experts".
Great notes here Natasha. With the storms we've had coming through this past season this would be a great addition for us as well. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, ever heard of the term "Regenerative Farming" ? This is the number one grass that would totally change your soul quality entirely. Plus, if you can clean its roots and then steam distil it, the aromatic liquid you'd have for your sorbet, icecream, syrups, it'll just make you famous in your town. Cheers from India.
I've been growing vetiver in Tucson for six years. I purchased several small plugs from an eBay seller in Puerto Rico. I had to relocate a large clump a few years ago and harvested a large mass of roots. Once dried, the roots have an amazing aroma. They're tough and easy to propagate by division. I had no idea they were medicinal so that's bonus. Thanks for the video.
Mine were little slips. They grew at least 5 feet and went down another five feet. That area you have them in will be completely filled. Mine do not die out in winter, they slow down though. I am in Apache Junction. I put a cage around them when they were young and I am so glad I did.
Great to hear as I want a lot of material. Even better if they can handle below freezing temps and keep their green. Curious to see if they take over and kill off the banana and papaya or form a symbiotic relationship. If they do take over--no big deal. Not many people in our area do videos on this plant so this will be part discovery for me on growing habit over time.
Yeah, I found out that canna isn't good in the wind. We like the roots (AKA Queensland arrowroot) and the leaves are great for tamale wrappers and so on. It's a very good fodder, but not toletant of wind.
I am growing Vetiver in containers. Initially I planted them in the ground but they struggled to grow and that is why they are in containers now and growing but require watering often. I think the problem was I did not break up the clay soil. Will try again in the ground. I’m in Mesa.
@@helenesorkin2744 Not from seed. It was a Mexican solo that I got from a big box store. I don't care for the taste so I am now trying Hawaiian solos (purchased from Etsy as small starts). The pill bugs seem to destroy anything I try to grow from seed.
Hi Natasha, what is the soil mix and watering schedule for Vetiver? Also, what do you know about pigeon pea, another chop and drop plant that I've recently heard is also a nitrogen fixer?
Your plants are way too close together and too close to your other plants...they are going to get huge. I have it in my yard and have been growing it for over 4 years. I had one clump your size and you would not believe what it looks like today. It grows fast and spreads. Can send you a pic of you want. Great to use for increasing drainage in our clay soil. I put it in between two pomegranate trees in a large shallow basin that I planted them in and it has filled the rest of the space. They should call it walking grass because it flowers falls over and replants itself, spreading everywhere.
@@DT-ht1fz Can it be considered invasive? A wild lantana grew in my front yard (they are the ones that give off little black balls like seeds) and now they are growing even in my backyard and with neighbors. Invasive plants are a headache.
I planted in straight clay; no amendment necessary. I have pigeon peas growing but for whatever reason it has struggled and grown very little for me so its not been great as a chop and drop in my experience. Mexican sunflower has been the winner for me. I'm going to be watering daily the next few weeks to establish it and then should be able to back off.
I'm not familiar with nurseries in San Diego but you can buy online. I've personally bought bare root plants online on Etsy from VetiverPlantsCranesP and 1 gallon plants from Green Dreams Nursery in FL. Both were great experiences
After hearing about the Mexican Sunflower on your channel I put one in my backyard to offer some shade for some newly planted fruit trees. Vetiver grass also sounds like a great addition. I know this is off topic, but I just noticed this morning that some of my leaves on my Pinache Tiger Stripe fig tree are turning black. A few are turning brown along the edges and I saw one leaf towards the top of a branch actually looking black. Any ideas?
Brown on the edges could be a watering issue but black leaves on a fig tree is not something I have ever seen in our climate. Though we have had rain I can't imagine your tree has a fungal issue. If you want me to take a look, you can email me a picture to livewellplantz@gmail.com
Even in tropical climates it is not considered invasive. It's a behaved clumping grass and as it is sterile, cannot spread by seed. You have to plant slips to grow it and even though it is drought tolerant once established, it needs irrigation to survive here.
Mine were slips and are now at least 6 feet high and three or more feet wide. I used it at the end of my property to create a privacy hedge. It worked.
I planted this all around my pool. One thing I’ve found is it paper-cuts you while walking by. Otherwise I like it.
I use vetiver in my garden. It's a great plant! Very easy to grow.
Have you considered trying native Prairie Grasses in lieu of Vetiver? Lowe's sells Switch Grass which has many of the same characteristics of vetiver, and elsewhere you can find Prairie Dropseed, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Sideoats Grama, and others. All are renowned for their deep root systems, plus have the added benefit of being native to the US. Historically, they grew from Canada all the way down to the Rio Grande. Big Bluestem (Andropogon) grows to 6'+ and roots go down to 10' or so, depending on the soil. The best part, imo, is that there's such a variety of shapes and sizes in the prairie grasses that you can fit them all over the yard.
Prairies don't occur naturally in Arizona and many prairie species are non-native here. Remember that political boundaries are artificial human constructs that rarely align with ecosystems. Plus those grass species you mention are not sterile like vétiver, meaning they have greater invasive risk. There's actually a substantial erosion problem in many prairie states but they have not been able to find a cold weather counterpart for vétiver that works in those climates.
@@lindasilva666 Depends on where you are. Panicum virgatum is a "prairie grass" but it's also native to AZ.
Non-native species that are from an entirely different continent.... don't fall for the lie that they are "sterile". Remember, the same experts that tell you Vetiver is sterile were also saying that the Bradford Pear was sterile. Look at it now.
The "erosion" problems in those prairie states you talk about is a direct result of the removal of the prairie grasses, not that the native grasses have failed. After all, that environment is exactly where Big Bluestem, Switch Grass, Echinacea, Little Bluestem, and a host of others actually evolved to be. The issues they face now is because they removed those herbaceous plants and replaced them with non-native species -- as well as because they removed the beavers and created so much hardtop surfaces.
In Arizona, you can use native plants to your benefit. Gama Grass is native to the area, growing in the wild, and has a very solid root system. Echinacea purpurea is native to a lot of the area, and is sold in local big box stores.
Even if it wasn't "native" to your specific eco-region, you are still far better off planting something that is native to the larger area than you are planting something that's from an entirely different continent. We've seen how that turns out time and time again -- kudzu, ivy, bradford pear, russian olive, bamboo, wisteria, the list is endless, and every single plant introduced by "experts".
Great notes here Natasha. With the storms we've had coming through this past season this would be a great addition for us as well. Thank you for sharing!
I see you have Chaya too. Quite amazing ❤
Hi, ever heard of the term "Regenerative Farming" ?
This is the number one grass that would totally change your soul quality entirely.
Plus, if you can clean its roots and then steam distil it, the aromatic liquid you'd have for your sorbet, icecream, syrups, it'll just make you famous in your town.
Cheers from India.
I've been growing vetiver in Tucson for six years. I purchased several small plugs from an eBay seller in Puerto Rico. I had to relocate a large clump a few years ago and harvested a large mass of roots. Once dried, the roots have an amazing aroma. They're tough and easy to propagate by division. I had no idea they were medicinal so that's bonus. Thanks for the video.
That's great to hear! Excited to have these in the yard.
hi, can I buy a small plug from you? Will provide all necessary shipping, pls let me know.
Thank you! I was looking into planting Vetiver grass - now I know I'm definitely buying some.
I was just at Greenlife yesterday to pick up some trees and Vetiver.
Mine were little slips. They grew at least 5 feet and went down another five feet. That area you have them in will be completely filled. Mine do not die out in winter, they slow down though. I am in Apache Junction. I put a cage around them when they were young and I am so glad I did.
Great to hear as I want a lot of material. Even better if they can handle below freezing temps and keep their green. Curious to see if they take over and kill off the banana and papaya or form a symbiotic relationship. If they do take over--no big deal. Not many people in our area do videos on this plant so this will be part discovery for me on growing habit over time.
Yeah, I found out that canna isn't good in the wind. We like the roots (AKA Queensland arrowroot) and the leaves are great for tamale wrappers and so on. It's a very good fodder, but not toletant of wind.
I am growing Vetiver in containers. Initially I planted them in the ground but they struggled to grow and that is why they are in containers now and growing but require watering often. I think the problem was I did not break up the clay soil. Will try again in the ground. I’m in Mesa.
is that a little papaya tree to the right? thanks for the video !
loved it. have some vetiver starts coming soon
Correct! There is a solo papaya nearby. Glad you enjoyed the video and glad to hear you are growing this plant also. Happy gardening!
Did you start the papaya from seed? I’m in Tucson
@@helenesorkin2744 Not from seed. It was a Mexican solo that I got from a big box store. I don't care for the taste so I am now trying Hawaiian solos (purchased from Etsy as small starts). The pill bugs seem to destroy anything I try to grow from seed.
Hi Natasha, what is the soil mix and watering schedule for Vetiver? Also, what do you know about pigeon pea, another chop and drop plant that I've recently heard is also a nitrogen fixer?
Your plants are way too close together and too close to your other plants...they are going to get huge. I have it in my yard and have been growing it for over 4 years. I had one clump your size and you would not believe what it looks like today. It grows fast and spreads. Can send you a pic of you want. Great to use for increasing drainage in our clay soil. I put it in between two pomegranate trees in a large shallow basin that I planted them in and it has filled the rest of the space. They should call it walking grass because it flowers falls over and replants itself, spreading everywhere.
@@DT-ht1fz Can it be considered invasive? A wild lantana grew in my front yard (they are the ones that give off little black balls like seeds) and now they are growing even in my backyard and with neighbors. Invasive plants are a headache.
I planted in straight clay; no amendment necessary. I have pigeon peas growing but for whatever reason it has struggled and grown very little for me so its not been great as a chop and drop in my experience. Mexican sunflower has been the winner for me. I'm going to be watering daily the next few weeks to establish it and then should be able to back off.
@@seamoscomplices This grass is sterile; no seeds.
@@EnlightenmentGarden Non-invasive and a good plant for the garden? I'll try it then.
Funny, I just bought three of these from Greenlife. Just trying to decide on the best placement for them…
What would be the source for Vetiver Grass in Valley Center (San Diego County)?
I'm not familiar with nurseries in San Diego but you can buy online. I've personally bought bare root plants online on Etsy from VetiverPlantsCranesP and 1 gallon plants from Green Dreams Nursery in FL. Both were great experiences
After hearing about the Mexican Sunflower on your channel I put one in my backyard to offer some shade for some newly planted fruit trees. Vetiver grass also sounds like a great addition.
I know this is off topic, but I just noticed this morning that some of my leaves on my Pinache Tiger Stripe fig tree are turning black. A few are turning brown along the edges and I saw one leaf towards the top of a branch actually looking black. Any ideas?
Brown on the edges could be a watering issue but black leaves on a fig tree is not something I have ever seen in our climate. Though we have had rain I can't imagine your tree has a fungal issue. If you want me to take a look, you can email me a picture to livewellplantz@gmail.com
Are you still happy with your vetiver? I'm thinking of trying it out in my garden.
Yes; I LOVE Vetiver! I've added more. All the trees nearby are flourishing.
Will it be invasive? Sounds like it could take over the desert.
Even in tropical climates it is not considered invasive. It's a behaved clumping grass and as it is sterile, cannot spread by seed. You have to plant slips to grow it and even though it is drought tolerant once established, it needs irrigation to survive here.
Mine were slips and are now at least 6 feet high and three or more feet wide. I used it at the end of my property to create a privacy hedge. It worked.
Vetiver can be divided and propagated, but it doesn't travel or spread to other places. I grow it in zone 8b in Georgia. It's a tremendous plant.
Native to TAMILNADU... name itself vetiver - வெட்டிவேர்