Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

With their feathery spikes of flowers, they sway in the wind and are an ornament in summer as well as in autumn and winter. Ornamental grasses should either not be cut at all or should be cut properly. Basically, it should be said: A correct cut benefits their growth.

Cut ornamental grass can be tied into a bouquet

Do not cut off the natural winter protection

The above-ground plant parts of the ornamental grasses - stalks and leaves - serve as natural protection during the winter, among other things against moisture in the root area. If you cut off the parts of the plant in autumn, you risk that the ornamental grasses will suffer from standing water in winter.

Why? When the stalks are cut off or shortened, they are opened and water can enter the tubes. It flows all the way down to the roots, where it can cause wetness. However, larger grasses such as pampas grass or Chinese reed should be tied together so that they do not buckle in winter.

Reasons that speak against a pruning in the fall

For these reasons in particular, pruning ornamental grasses in autumn is not recommended:

  • Straws drain water laterally
  • provide shelter for insects and birds
  • Leaving the plant parts as they are reduces the risk of rotting
  • Ornamental grasses serve as a valuable decoration during the dreary winter time (ornamental flowers/seeds)

Spring is the best time to cut

After the winter you can cut your ornamental grass. In spring, the best period for this has come between mid-February and early March. The cut should be made before sprouting or when the new stalks and leaves begin to sprout.

Be careful not to damage the new shoots when cutting! The advantage of pruning is, on the one hand, that the ornamental grasses now look better and, on the other hand, that the new shoots can grow unhindered.

Cut down to just above the ground

How to cut your ornamental grass correctly:

  • gather in bunches
  • use a sharp knife or pruning shears
  • Cut the stalks and leaves to just above the ground (10 to 15 cm).
  • remove dead leaves if necessary

Attention: Not all ornamental grasses need to be cut. For some species, such as feather grass, blue fescue grass and bearskin, combing through them with your hands will suffice. Alternatively, the dead plant parts can also be pulled out. However, wear gloves to avoid injuring yourself on the sharp-edged leaves!

Fertilize, divide and multiply after cutting

After cutting back in spring, the perfect time has come to lightly fertilize the ornamental grasses, for example with compost. This time is also ideal for digging up the ornamental grasses, dividing them and thus rejuvenating and multiplying them.

tips

If you do not want your ornamental grass to self-seed, you should cut off the inflorescences in the fall.

Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Category:

Indoor plants