Grow them from rhizomes
- in containers:
get a flat container, fill with a poor mix and burry the rhizome horizontally, it will spread in there.
- in your garden (if it isnt already full of Phalaris this will make your garden full of it):
just do the above but without trays / containers.
Growing from seed:
- in containers:
all year round, fill a flat tray or container with poor mix again, sow and water ubtil you see sprouts, give them full sun.
- in your garden:
in spring after last frost work a patch of dirt over so all weeds are removed and the ground loosened, then compact it a bit again and sow, water well until you see sprouts, rainfall should do the rest if your area isnt very dry.
So in conclusion: It shpuld work out easily, maybe sth is wrong with your seeds or your rhizome is dead ?