There is a noticeable increase in the number of questions about ornamental grass care every fall.
It’s understandable that folks would like to know more information as grasses have rapidly gained popularity as ornamental additions to residential gardens.
So, we figured now would be a good time to talk about what you should and should not do with your ornamental grasses this fall.
When can grass be cut?
Grass can be cut either early or late in the fall. You can cut them in the early or late spring as well. They can be cut down whenever you like, even in the middle of a winter storm when the snow is pounding down.
The point is, ornamental grasses’ clump-style root structures are very hardy. To the point that they can survive the cold of winter without the aid of the foliage that grows on their canopy.
So, when is the greatest time to cut back? In reality, there are several compelling arguments for either removing ornamental grasses in the fall or leaving them standing into the winter. And this, of course, all depends on your own circumstances.
Maintaining Grasses Up Through Winter: The Pros
There are many advantages to allowing your grasses to remain standing over the winter. To begin, most types of ornamental grasses do not reach their peak beauty until the middle to end of autumn. And when they do, the landscape can be adorned with beauty all winter long!
The bulky grass blades and fluffy plumes are a welcome sight in the otherwise stark winter landscape. However, their aesthetic value isn’t the only thing they bring to winter’s animals.
Leaving your decorative grasses standing provides essential shelter for a wide variety of creatures. In addition, the seed heads of these grasses make excellent bird food.
Maintaining Grasses Up Through Winter: The Cons
With so many advantages to leaving ornamental grasses standing over the winter, it’s puzzling that anyone would want to cut them in the fall. However, there are some situations where it is necessary.
Some ornamental grasses may be a real hassle to clean up during the colder months of the year, as anyone who has them in their yard can attest. Especially large-flowered types, which have enormous plumes.
There is a lot of mess created as the plume heads and stems disintegrate. And it can be a difficult job to clear up flowerbeds in the spring.
Dividing Ornamental Grasses
Now let’s talk about dividing grasses. Every three to five years, grass clumps should be separated to ensure the grasses’ continued health and viability.
In fact, ornamental grasses continually produce new growth from their periphery each year. Over time, the dead spot in the middle of the clump of grass will get larger.
Over time, it makes the grass look worse and makes it less able to stand up straight during the growing season. However, if you divide every three to five years, you’ll never have to worry about this happening.
Not in the fall…
Unfortunately, fall is not the best time to divide ornamental grasses. Even while most perennials benefit from a division in the fall, dividing grasses at that time of year is potentially fatal to plants.
After having their root clumps broken apart, they are unable to re-establish themselves. As a result, when winter comes, the roots dry up and die. Grasses are easiest to divide in the early spring when fresh shoots are just emerging from the ground.
A Few More Tips for Cutting Grass
Whether you’re doing some spring or fall cutting, a nice pair of electric hedge trimmers is one of the easiest methods to get into those hard-to-reach places. Forget about the back-breaking job of using hand shears; hedge trimmers make easy work of sawing right through the grasses.
