NOTE: In this article, Mexican feather grass and Nassella tenuissima may be used interchangeably; in fact, Nassella tenuissima is the botanical name for Mexican feather grass.
There are pros and cons to Mexican feather grass. When it sways gracefully in the wind with its feathery flower panicles, it is a beauty enhanced. The benefits of this moderate-growing ornamental grass are practical as well as aesthetic. Mexican feather grass is best planted in the spring.
Why does my Nassella tenuissima roots have rot?
Root rot on your Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Why does my Mexican feather grass have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a specific fungus that regularly harms flowers and spreads swiftly. If you notice any brown (or gray) spots, this fungus is probably to cause. You risk your plant dying if you ignore these warning indications.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Nassella tenuissima. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Mexican feather grass have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Mexican feather grass, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Mexican feather grass leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Nassella tenuissima in question:
- Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
- Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.
Is my Mexican feather grass sunburned?
It is simple to determine whether your Mexican feather grass (your Nassella tenuissima) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your Mexican feather grass receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.
Why are my Mexican feather grass leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Nassella tenuissima in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Nassella tenuissima (or Mexican feather grass) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Mexican feather grass out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.
Why are my Nassella tenuissima leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Nassella tenuissima lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
Whether your Nassella tenuissima plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.
Our Solution
If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Mexican feather grass right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.
This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Nassella tenuissima
Water Occasionally
Water is necessary for your plant to live, but timing and amount of watering must be balanced. Overwatering could have disastrous effects on your own name, as we already mentioned.
Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It is also a good idea to keep your Nassella tenuissima at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Nassella tenuissima near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.
Keep your Mexican feather grass Dust-Free
This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.
This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Mexican feather grass.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).
