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Ornamental grasses are a beautiful eye-catcher in many gardens. They come in countless variations and shapes. Whether low or tall, in the colors green to blue-green and with leaves or simple culms, the variety of species is hard to beat. Unfortunately, this diversity also has a small catch. There are no rules of thumb, especially when pruning ornamental grasses, it always has to be tailored to the respective variety.
To cut
By nature, ornamental grasses do not need to be cut. You can't go without a cut either. However, if they serve as an eye-catcher in the garden or in a bucket on the balcony or terrace, they should be cut at least once a year.
There are a few good reasons for this:
- young grasses grow better
- Ornamental grasses grow denser and more lush
- Avoiding natural propagation
- Extension of lifespan
In addition, some people do not find grass that has turned brown or wilted flowers attractive. How and when to cut depends on the variety of ornamental grass. So before you start cutting, you should find out which ornamental grass is best to cultivate in the garden or in the bucket.
Carex hirta, rough sedge
grass family
Many of the ornamental grasses that grace our gardens and patios tend to belong to the sweet grass family. They are related to cereals, green lawns (lawn grasses) and bamboo, among other things. In total, the family includes around 12,000 species.
The best-known and most popular ornamental grasses include:
- Bearskin Fescue (Bearskin Grass)
- Pampas Grass (American Pampas Grass or Silver Pampas Grass)
and the plant genera:
- Sedges (around 2,000 species)
- Lamp cleaning grass (80 species)
- feather grasses (nearly 400 species)
Pennisetum alopecuroides, Pennisetum
cut
With so many types of ornamental grasses, it is only natural that there is no one rule of thumb for trimming. Opinions also differ greatly as to when and how it is cut. Nevertheless, there are a few rules that show the right way for many species or the individual genus. For example, moor grass, pampas grass and lamp cleaning grasses need to be trimmed regularly. However, many evergreen grasses of the genus Carex should not be cut at all.
time
While it used to be recommended to cut ornamental grasses in the fall, many plant experts now agree that it is better for the grasses to be cut in the spring.
The reasons given are:
- old stalks protect the roots from frost and cold
- Rainwater can run off laterally over stalks and leaves
- Avoiding water ingress through the cut, hollow stalks
- Avoiding waterlogging
- Avoiding root rot caused by water
Cortaderia selloana, pampas grass
In addition to these reasons, which directly affect the grasses, there are also other arguments that relate more to humans and animals.
- Shelter for small animals, birds and insects
- Privacy protection is retained even in winter
- Eye-catcher in the rather bare garden during the winter
Tip: Tall grasses can be tied together over the winter. This not only looks nicer, but also gives the grass more stability. If you use colorful bows to do this, the garden gets an extra splash of color.
Even if plant experts recommend cutting in the spring, there is a good reason not to cut ornamental grass until autumn: if the grass sows itself, the flower panicles can be cut off in autumn to curb the unwanted spread of the plant. However, stalks and leaves should remain as winter protection.
grasses
Wintergreen grasses
In the case of evergreen grasses, a horizontal cut can lead to "hair loss" and the subsequent death of the plant. They are turned off or raked out. Grasses that should be raked up include ornamental grasses with dense clumps, such as the following.
- Wintergreen ornamental grasses of the genus Fescue (Festuca), e.g.: Atlas fescue
- Winter green ornamental grasses of the genus Schmielen (Deschampsia), e.g. the lawn hairgrass
- the wintergreen blue-ray oat (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
Festuca cinerea, blue fescue
tool
tool and protection
Many ornamental grasses have sharp-edged stalks that can easily lead to cuts. Therefore, you should always wear protective gloves when handling the grasses. Long-sleeved outerwear and long trousers protect the legs and upper body, especially the arms, from injuries. In the case of particularly sharp-edged grasses, such as pampas grass, protective goggles should also be worn to protect the eyes. In order to be able to cut off the sometimes very firm stalks, the knife or secateurs must be very sharp. Because when cutting, the cut should be as smooth as possible. Also make sure that the secateurs are clean.
Tip: Secateurs with long handles make the job easier because you don't have to use as much force. It also reduces the risk of injury.
cutting tricks
High-growing ornamental grasses are cut off very far down. The cut is usually made about two hand widths above the ground. However, the exact height for the cut depends on the variety. Under no circumstances should the cut be made so deep that new shoots are cut off. Finally, the cut serves to give them more space, light and air. Also, the inner, green core of the plants must not be damaged by the cut.
For large and heavy species of ornamental grasses, it is recommended:
- start from the outer edge
- possibly hold several stalks together for a cut
If the grass is tied together in tufts, it is also easier to dispose of on the compost. This saves you the sometimes tedious and time-consuming task of collecting the individual blades of grass. The pruning is complete when only a field of stubble is left instead of the old stalks.
Tip: You can grasp the individual stalks better if you brush them up beforehand.
Pennisetum setaceum, Red Pennisetum
Comb
combing and pulling
With some ornamental grasses, the old stalks are removed by simply combing through the grass with your hands (gloves!) or plucking out brown stalks. These include, for example, blue fescue grass, feather grass or bearskin grass.
Tip: Low-growing ornamental grasses should not be cut, but better plucked out.
Carex morrowii, Japanese sedge
An alternative to cutting is to pull out the individual stalks. If you are not sure whether you need to cut or pull, you can test the ornamental grass: If the individual stalks can be pulled out with a jerk, it does not need to be cut. Examples of ornamental grasses whose stalks can be pulled out are sedge or blue grass.
Tip: If the stalks can be pulled out, you should definitely use this method for the "pruning" as well, it is better suited for the plant.