Grasses
Thank you!!!!!
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Sensible Gardening and Living on Oct 25, 2013You can leave it up or cut it down before winter, the grass does not care one way or the other. If you cut ,go right down to 6-8 inches from the ground and clean out any dead debris. I leave mine up as they add winterest interst and beauty to my snowy garden and the birds love them.Helpful Reply
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Luis on Oct 25, 2013It's a matter of personal choice whether you cut back your ornamental grasses in fall or spring. Most ornamental grasses will remain attractive if left standing throughout the better part of the winter. They may even provide food for the birds, I cut mine early Spring just before the new shoots come out.Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 25, 2013thank you:)Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 25, 2013Thank you Luis! Any idea about "Annabelle" hydrangeas? Same thing?Helpful Reply
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Patricia W on Oct 25, 2013I clean mine in late fall after it dies off. Im in Oregon in the Willamette Valley so many plants and grasses keep on showing their stuff until late in the year. I would leave it until it dies then clean it up so you have one less spring chore.Helpful Reply
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Carolyn Richrath on Oct 25, 2013Cut it down and when it starts to grow in the spring , trim it evenly so it doesn't look helter skelterHelpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 25, 2013Thank you. I love a Pinot noir that comes from Willamette Valley..".Four Graces"Helpful Reply
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Becky P on Oct 26, 2013I leave mine up until Spring. It provides shelter for the birds, and last year, a stray cat would hang out between the growth, on a bed it made. (of course, my cat wasn't too happy about that!) It also looks really pretty with snow on the tassels.Helpful Reply
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Julie J on Oct 26, 2013Here's a tip from our local golf course - wrap around it with rope, twine or duct tape, cut it about 12" up from the ground. Easy clean up! I leave mine until spring because I like the look of it in the winter landscape.Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013I think ill keep it till spring as well. Great winter home for the birds:)Helpful Reply
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Jeanette freeze on Oct 27, 2013Ty you all I have tryed to grow couple times not much look but think I will try one more time not sure what went wrong most times have awesome green thumb as they say lolHelpful Reply
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Linda on Oct 27, 2013We ;eave our ribbon grass groups up all winter. They survive the snow here for the most part. We do cut some of the feather plumes in the fall and dry them for decorating. Chop way back in the spring, down to about 12"h. and thin at that point if the clumps are getting too large. They spread, so give them lots of room if you're just planting some new pots. What you chop down in the spring can be used for mulching, so I've heard, but wear gloves....the stuff can be sharp.Helpful Reply
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Patti Lemaire on Oct 27, 2013i trim all my grasses down to about five inches every year just before the snow flys..Helpful Reply
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Donna H on Oct 27, 2013I leave mine til the spring and then cut them back pretty low. I like Julie's idea about the twine.Helpful Reply
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Lydia Whitehead Torres on Oct 27, 2013When I worked for a landscaping company, We would wait until February to cut back the grasses. This way you will have the dried grass for visual interest and as a shelter for small birds during the winter. We would then cut it off 6" to 8" from the ground, thus allowing new growth freedom to flourish. Use a hedge trimmer for quick and painless trimming. (The dried grasses make for great compost materials.)Helpful Reply
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Judy4justice on Oct 27, 2013I read here on another post about grasses that said the ribbon grass is very invasive.I just planted some near a new pond and am now wondering if I should move it before it starts to spread.I was going for a woodsy look but don't want it to overtake the pond.Mine is panicetum red ribbon I believe.Helpful Reply
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June on Oct 27, 2013We leave ours until the Spring. I'd rather look at that in the winter than at stubs of grass. We cut it quite low in the Spring & are always amazed at how it spreads each year. I transplanted a very small piece of it in a spot that needed "something" & that the deer wouldn't like (big advantage) a couple years ago & now it's lovely to look at. Those tassels are so pretty.Helpful Reply
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Diane on Oct 27, 2013I would love to have these on my land. Where do they sell these grasses? I live in Texas.Helpful Reply
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Jen on Oct 27, 2013Take a piece of twine and wrap it around the "stand" of grass...take your shears and cut across..remove twine...perfectly cut grass!Helpful Reply
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169756 on Oct 27, 2013I had to give up my wonderful grasses when we moved to our new home. I was able to salvage 2 and have them in the new yard. 4 years ago I planted two in the front of our old home. 1 season ago, in the spring, I was able to divide our 2 gorgeous grasses into 14 plants and they are now spaced and border a fence at the old house. We drove by this week and they are in their fully glory. Hopefully I will duplicate the process at our new place but won't have so many. I did need to share how they can be divided and reproduce. We read up on the process of how to deal with the dead growth before we did anything with them. They do look great, even dry, in the winter, so we waited until early spring to tie them around with a bungee cord and my husband gave them a haircut with an electric chain saw. Sounds drastic but too huge for anything else. We took them down to about a foot high and they did great. I may drive by the old house and take some pictures and share them while they are so magnificent. Anyway, good luck with the process. Grasses are a wonderful addition to any yard.Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013These are 6-7 ft. Tall!! Gonna need a bit more than twine and shears!! More like rope and a chainsaw...lol. I'm gonna keep them as they are for my feathered friends this winter, and will cut in the spring as long as they will grow again to what they are. How far down should I go in spring? Maybe leave them 2ft. tall? We just bought our home and inherited things I didn't have before:). Thank you so much for your help..Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013yes Diane, I love them. They are very tall and the plumes just "bloomed" within the last couple of weeks. They are beautiful green grass all summer. I believe I have a pic of them in the summer look. I LOVE the fall look as well. Gonna keep them all winter for the birds to nestle in for warmth. Not sure of their real name ( unless someone mentioned in an earlier post), but I'm sure if you showed the pic to your local garden center, they would know:)Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013I've only lived here for 3 months, and, yes, IDE like to thin it out. We have two beautiful flowering bushes behind the grass that my next door neighbors are enjoying, because we can't see them!!Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013thank you June!!Helpful Reply
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Diana F on Oct 27, 2013TY TY TY Linda!!Helpful Reply
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Debbie Benson on Oct 27, 2013The suggestion about rope and a chain saw works best. We had several plants around our pool area and not only did we tie rope around it, we had a tarp laid out on the ground so that once it's cut, two people make easier work to haul it off. Another suggestion is to go around the plant with a shovel and dig the outer parts up to keep the diameter within limits. Whether cut in the fall or spring, it still comes back - virtually impossible to kill.Helpful Reply
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Eileen Gascoyne on Oct 27, 2013Like the suggestion about tying twine around the grass before cutting back below the twine. I do mine in early Spring. I missed one this past season and it grew straggly, while the newly trimmed grasses flourished.Helpful Reply
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Judy4justice on Oct 27, 2013I went back and read the description where I purchased it and they did mention it being invasive but said it in such a way I thought it just meant it grew quickly.LOL I will move it.Thanks.Helpful Reply
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169756 on Oct 28, 2013Hi again. We too saved the dried grass and used it as a walkway in our veggie garden. We left the bungie cords on to haul them to the garden. They are easy to separate once dug up. Ours had shallow roots also so an easy dig. We chopped them into 4 sections and then divided again. I doubt you can kill them. They are about 5-6 high and at least 4 feet around.Helpful Reply
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Donna H on Oct 28, 2013@Judy- I saw something on pinterest that you can plant the invasive grasses in a large bucket and then put the bucket into the ground.Helpful Reply
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169756 on Oct 28, 2013Me again. I'm going to share the grasses I left behind with the two babies I'm starting with now. Plus my sweet little maple that is so pretty!Helpful Reply
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Cheryl Turner on Oct 28, 2013I burn my grasses down in the spring. I have my hose on and ready as not to burn them deep. works for meHelpful Reply
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169756 on Oct 28, 2013I am having a horrible time loading pics so please forgive the problems. I hate windows 8:(Helpful Reply
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Jennie Brinker on Oct 30, 2013pampas grassHelpful Reply
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Geralyn on Oct 31, 2013Cut it down in March, leaves less mess. 2 to 3 inches just use a hedge trimmer, it will come back for sure.Helpful Reply
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