Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Stripe It Rich')
Also called Golden Hakone Grass, Japanese Forest Grass 'Stripe It Rich'.
More about stripe it rich hakone grass
About Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass
Hakonechloa macra 'Stripe It Rich' · also called Golden Hakone Grass, Japanese Forest Grass 'Stripe It Rich' · flowering
Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass is a slow-growing, cascading ornamental grass from Japanese mountain woodlands, prized for its arching bright gold and green striped leaves that turn russet and red in autumn. It thrives in dappled shade and moist, fertile soil. It is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic and is considered pet-safe.
Preferred mix: Moist, humus-rich well-draining loamy mix
Watch for — Crown rot in wet winters: Persistently waterlogged soil in cold winters can rot the crown. Ensure good drainage and avoid planting in low-lying hollows.
Why stripe it rich hakone grass needs this mix
Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass flowers hardest in a rich but free-draining loam — fed enough to fuel the display, open enough that the roots never waterlog.
- Flowering is expensive for stripe it rich hakone grass: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
- A loam-based mix holds nutrients and water far more evenly than a light peat mix, which means a longer, more reliable flowering period.
- It still needs sharp drainage — most flowering plants resent cold, wet feet far more than they resent being a little lean.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons stripe it rich hakone grass struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives stripe it rich hakone grass weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel.
- A heavy, badly drained soil rots the roots or crown, often over a wet winter, and you lose the plant before it ever flowers again.
- Over-rich, high-nitrogen mixes can push lush leaf at the expense of flowers — balance, not excess, is the aim.
Either starving stripe it rich hakone grass in a thin mix or drowning it in a heavy, badly drained one. It wants the rich-but-free-draining middle, plus a flowering (higher-potassium) feed in season.
pH — does it matter for stripe it rich hakone grass?
Most flowering plants, including stripe it rich hakone grass, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A quality bagged compost works for stripe it rich hakone grass in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Drainage and the pot
Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. When the time comes, our repotting guide for stripe it rich hakone grass covers the timing and technique step by step.
Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for stripe it rich hakone grass?
3 parts good loam or quality peat-free compost : 1 part well-rotted compost or leaf mould : 1 part grit or perlite. Flowering is expensive for stripe it rich hakone grass: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
Can I use normal potting soil for stripe it rich hakone grass?
A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives stripe it rich hakone grass weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel. A quality bagged compost works for stripe it rich hakone grass in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Does stripe it rich hakone grass need a special pH?
Most flowering plants, including stripe it rich hakone grass, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for stripe it rich hakone grass?
A quality bagged compost works for stripe it rich hakone grass in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
How often should I refresh the soil for stripe it rich hakone grass?
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
Keep reading
- Stripe It Rich Hakone Grass care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water stripe it rich hakone grass — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting stripe it rich hakone grass — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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