Quick facts. Jump to Suitable for When to divide grasses How to divide grasses Problems. Suitable for When to divide grasses Cool climate grasses are best divided as they come into growth in late winter to early spring. How to divide grasses Lift grasses from the ground with a spade. Split them using two forks inserted back to back in the centre of the clump, and then prize them apart.
Alternatively, cut the clump through the middle with a spade. Some grasses have tough roots that may require a sharp knife, saw or even an axe to split them apart. Small grasses, such as Hakonechloa , can be split by tearing lifted clumps apart by hand. Cut down the foliage of Cortaderia selloana pampas grass before dividing - making sure you wear stout clothing and gauntlet-style gloves.
Keep divisions as large as possible. Divisions can either be potted up in John Innes No 2 compost for growing on, or if they are more than While warm-season grasses typically die back in winter temps, cool-season grasses are often evergreen. They begin new growth in fall or winter and flower in the spring and summer, sometimes going dormant or slowing growth when temperatures rise above 75 degrees. Divide these grasses when they begin to grow vigorously in your area.
The period of most growth when division is best for your area might be in early fall. But it is possible to divide the grasses in early spring as well in areas with mild winters. Creeping grasses or smaller clumping grasses divide fairly quickly when you follow these guidelines:.
Use rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes to clean and steralize your pruning and division tools after each use to minimize the chances of spreading pests and diseases from one plant to another. Susan Lundman began writing about her love of gardening and landscape design after working for 20 years at a nonprofit agency.
She has written about plants, garden design and gardening tips online professionally for ten years on numerous websites. By Susan Lundman Updated December 15, Pruning is a quick, simple process, but it must be done at the right time of year to allow the plant to recover and grow under the best possible conditions.
Zebra grass is one of the most popular ornamental grasses in winter gardens because its banded foliage and feathery seed plumes add interest to drab off-season beds. The dry grass blades help insulate the roots against frost damage and should be left on the plant, particularly in colder climates. Fortunately, the best time to prune these showy, low-maintenance plants is in the spring before new growth emerges. The insulating effect of the dead zebra grass foliage can also delay the emergence of new growth in spring by up to three weeks, warns the University of Illinois Extension , so prune zebra grass early in the spring to prompt new growth.
Pruning zebra grass is simple. Cut back the entire plant to 6 inches in height using sharp pruning shears or hedge trimmers. The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends starting the process at the outside of the clump and working toward the center, cutting at an upward angle to create a rounded shape. Cool-season grasses are actively growing in spring and fall. These grasses can be transplanted at either time of the year but early spring is probably the best time to divide.
Evergreen grasses don't ever go dormant. Dividing plants wounds them to some degree. For evergreen grasses this wounding will really affect their ability to live through the winter. Just a reminder that grass leaves can be very sharp, wear gloves to protect your hands.
I can tell you from personal experience grass cuts can really hurt. Larger grasses use the same basic principles but due to sheer size and toughness can be harder to deal with.
It can take a strong back, or three, to get some of these very large grasses out of the ground. An old hand or hack saw, an axe or hatchet it may be easier to place the axe blade in one spot and then pound it through the grass clump using a large hammer or maul, I know I can never hit the same spot twice when swinging an axe , a very sharp shovel, a reciprocating or concrete saw, or a chain saw this won't be gentle on your grass and will tear it up a bit, a chain saw should be your last resort can all be used to divide the plant into pieces.
These big grasses are quite tough. An alternate method would be to cut the grass to the ground then use an axe or other tool to cut it into wedges. Pry or dig the pieces out of the ground. Once these larger pieces are removed from the ground you can cut them into smaller pieces using sharp pruning shears. If your main clump is still looking quite healthy and hasn't outgrown its space, you can replicate the plant by removing small chunks of the grass from around the outer edge.
This may be easier than dividing the entire plant. Once you have the pieces removed from the main clump, trim off any dead material, replant the pieces, and water thoroughly. Newly divided grasses will need frequent watering while they become established. Once they are well rooted you should be able to decrease or quit watering.
Many ornamental grasses are selections of native prairie or woodland plants.
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