Specific Topic Pages

• General Care Guide
• Grass Division
• Grass Renovation
• Spring Cleanup

The picture to the right is the end of winter wind blown plume of Miscanthus sinensis 'Arabesque'.  This picture probably for me represents the end of the season lifecycle for ornamental grasses.  All of the seeds have been blown off leaving only the stem.  The garden's life starts all over again now as we begin to cut off last years chaff.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' (right) End of Winter Shambles (above)
	For ornamental grasses to look their best for the new season, the prior season 's dead growth must be cut back. DO NOT cut back flush with the earth!

Some grass may be cut back using the lawn more (e.g. phalaris arundinacea 'Picta' or Ribbon Grass), but generally, cut them back by hand, hedge sheers, DR Field and Brush Mower, or with a line trimmer. I generally leave 3-5 inches of last years grown attached to the plant after cutting back. Some grasses have new growth emerge through last years stems (like Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'). This is why it is important to start trimming and have it completed between the mid and end of March (for zone 5a folks).

Because I have so many grasses to cut down, I use a DR Field and Brush Mower.  This is needed because of the very thick mass of grass and canes at the 4-6" level of ornamental grasses.

After a hair cut, pennisetum alopecuriodes (fountain grass) will look like a round ball of 4-6 inch stubble (as pictured to the left). This picture the the same plant pictured above. This particular variety of grass will leave a very tight stubble ball as I call it. You may want to wear gloves because jamming your hand on the stubble will cause splinters in your skin. The new flush of spring growth will quickly hide the stubble ball.

This grass is Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'. It appears to have begun to sprout for the new season! WRONG! It is important to know your grasses. This is a warm season grass. The green is a weed. Spring cleanup is a good time to cleanup those weeds that have crept into your prized ornamental grasses. By knowing the habits of your grass your can pull weeds with assurance that you are not destroying your grass.

 

Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (left) Festuca ovina glauca 'Elijah Blue' (right)

What happens if the grass gets ahead of you and starts growing as Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' above? Try not too, but just cut back to about 7-8 inches. This variety is a cool weather grass will will start sprouting on sunny spring days. Cutting the tips of the green grown will not hurt the looks of the grass.

Some of the blue grasses, like Festuca ovina glauca 'Elijah Blue' (Blue Fescue) pictured above, and Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass, not pictured) will retain living blue leaves through the winter. The Blue Fescue grass I just trim back the dead and winter burn blades. The Blue Oat Grass I trim out the dead leaves and trim back to about 8 inches.

The picture to the right is after the initial spring cleanup.  Stark and bleak looking, the springs warmth will soon bring forth a new lush growth of grass foliate.  During the summer, not much of the fence can be seen.
The picture to the right shows new Panicum growth in the spring after the clump had been trimmed back in the spring.

I hope this helps your understand ornamental grass spring cleanup.