Learning Download: How to Grow Stachy

Stachy are also known as Lamb’s Ears, and they are a very popular, soft plant to use as groundcover. These plants can grow up to a foot long, and although they do occasionally produce flowers, they are mostly used for the appearance of their leaves. The leaves feel fuzzy and velvety, like a lamb’s ear.

Before Planting: Plant Lamb’s Ear seeds inside in the late winter, which is typically eight to 10 weeks before the last frost in your area. Press the seeds lightly into the soil, but do not cover them because they require light to germinate. Keep the seeds moist until they germinate, which should be within 35 days.

Planting: When spring arrives, transplant the seedlings outside and pinch them back to stimulate growth. Space the seedlings about 16 inches apart.

Watering: These plants are drought tolerant, and be sure you don’t overhead water, as this will possibly rot the leaves.

Fertilizer: Since Stachy spreads easily, fertilizer is not needed to help grow this plant. Instead, mulch around the base of the plant and provide a layer of compost each spring.

Days to Maturity: Stachy will bloom in the spring to late summer.

Harvesting: As they are typically used as groundcover, these plants are not ones you would harvest.

Tips: A way to keep the plant from self-seeding is to remove the flower stalks before they go to seed.