The BEST Way to Prune Ornamental Grasses

[@michaelhawes5575]

Can I cut back and transfer my grass in the fall...like october?

[@mindbusiness9734]

I live in North Carolina and I just trimmed my ornamental grasses yesterday. I can tell you that the hedge trimmers are, by far, the most efficient way of trimming ornamental grasses. I was trimming liriope (monkey grass, two different species - muscari & spicata), and you don't really need the bungee cord (you can't use bungee cord on the liriope spicata species anyway). The bungee cord only saves time if you have more than one bungee cord and another person preparing each grass ahead of you. Otherwise, just use the hedge trimmers (preferable electric as seen in this video) and some regular scissors you can buy at the "Dollar Tree" for a buck. If you don't want to use the scissors, you may have to make a few more passes with the hedge trimmers from different angles to get everything nice and neat looking. FYI - If you don't know the difference between the liriope grasses I am talking about, just make a note that the liriope "Spicata" will spread almost uncontrollably with no apparent design and is an invasive plant, while the "Muscari" species is more self-contained and will present a nice 12"-18" circular plant.

[@johnpward4640]

Wow, in California I guess I've been trimming mine WAY too early, in November?!!! Great idea @ the bungee cord, too! You read my mind as I was JUST starting to put "cheap twine" on my shopping list! And ..."just tie it in a bunch like you're making a ponytail in someone's hair." Excellent idea that bald ol' me would NEVER have thought of! LOL! Thank you so very much for posting the help! People like you make the world a wonderful place to live in. I wish you were MY neighbor!

[@dave710]

I thought so as well John.

[@rhitznroots7037]

Thank you for the bungee cord idea! I’m going to try and braid my lemongrass before a haircut.

[@catherinemoravec1648]

Sounds fun! Let me know how it goes. :)

[@rhitznroots7037]

Catherine Moravec I definitely will.

[@rhitznroots7037]

I caved and stuck with your method. Lol thanks again for your tips

[@nicolamtp]

Which is the best month to prune these ?

[@margaretcraig2426]

What do you do with the brown grass that you cut? I see you put it in a plastic bin. Do put in in a compost? I saw one idea of using it for the chickens. Thanks

[@charleshines1553]

I find a hedge trimmer makes it a lot faster when you have big ornamental grasses. It is hard to imagine it any other way really.

[@docwild2867]

Great video. Even easier with a grass sickle.

[@DrewSkii10]

Oh Catherine your so very helpful! Sorry this is late you probably won't see it but thank you! :) and were about the same hun I wear my long sleeves safety glasses and gloves lol.

[@catherinemoravec1648]

eagles5196 Thank you very much for the kind words. And I'm glad to know you protect yourself. That's important!

[@gizmocaca9461]

Can you trim these in the summer? I have some very tall ones that overhang a bit too much into my driveway

[@BB-lg1ji]

Thanks for your video ...could you tell me what kind of ornamental grass that is?? Thanks!

[@catherinemoravec1648]

That is little bluestem.

[@milesduckworth5589]

How long would my reed grass take to grow back to full length if i cut them back late winter?

[@catherinemoravec1648]

It depends on where you live, but it takes usually 2-3 months for them to reach their full size again once the growing season starts. The growth rate in my area really depends on the temperature and amount of rain we get.

[@KimKim-pp5fn]

this was the best explanation

[@TheBooradley63]

Probably should have led with the hedge trimmer. Based on other comments some people didn't hang in there for the whole video.

[@ChrisMatt53]

Excellent video!

[@catherinemoravec1648]

Thanks very much, Chris. :)

[@carolcapper20]

Hi there, wondering when to cut them down in my area. I live in San Jose, CA, and i'm not sure if they will ever die back completely. We don't really get frost.

[@dontalkt2meboutheroes]

Beginning of March. No matter if it's still a little green.

[@marty819]

That was so helpful. Thank you for posting!

[@catherinemoravec1648]

Thanks very much, Marty. I appreciate your feedback!

[@fcburgner35]

On the pampas where many of these grasses originate mother nature does the pruning with a wildfire started by lightning, so last year in early Spring I did the same thing and although the results were unsightly it didn't take long for new growth to appear. It could be my imagination, but I think they all look better than in past seasons. No cutting - I just flicked my Bic.

[@catherinemoravec1648]

Hello, yes, I agree that burning is a very effective method. It's illegal where I live in Colorado. We had two terrible fires that burned hundreds of homes, so cutting them back is the best we can do. But glad to hear that your grasses survived it just fine.

[@thomasclark7383]

If you have an entire bed of ornamental grasses, you may try cutting the top growth of all the grasses and scattering it about the bed, then lighting the whole bed. I think that would look better, be a safer burn (lower flames), and still burn the bases to the ground, the way that certain grasses need over time.

[@thomasclark7383]

Even with individual grasses, cutting the top growth and making a small pile to burn over the base would be safer and would probably burn more thoroughly really.

[@steviesevieria1868]

@@thomasclark7383 In many areas of the country burning is not that great a plan.

[@bdeneris]

I have several tall miscanthus grasses and though I love the winter interest, after the first snowfall they get flattened down & look terrible. So I reluctantly trim them back in late fall. Don't u find that in Colorado?

[@catherinemoravec1648]

We sometimes get flattening snowstorms in Colorado, but not that often on the Front Range. Most landscapes leave their grasses standing for winter interest in our dry climate. I see your point, though. It makes sense that if the snow flattens the grasses and they won't ever stand back up it's better to cut them down.

[@wandashouse1]

Thank you

[@ferniemarentette2695]

Great information! Thank you!

[@Mommo42]

Can you cut this kind of grass back in fall season?

[@catherinemoravec1648]

Sure, you can definitely use this method in fall. Where I live in Colorado, most people cut back their grasses in spring so they have something to look at over the winter. But you can cut ornamental grasses back in fall or spring. It doesn't affect the grasses' health to cut them back in the fall. In other parts of the country, cutting back in fall is the preferred time of year.

[@Mommo42]

Catherine Moravec Thank you, love your video.

[@benjaminmassie2978]

yes

[@margiedowling5360]

WHat if you want to eradicate ribbon grass

[@2020Sarge]

I just burn it every Spring, grass looks great.

[@steviesevieria1868]

Not the best move if the grasses are against your wooden house.

[@alanb3163]

What kind of grass is that?

[@catherinemoravec1648]

+Aden B That is little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium).

[@alanb3163]

+Catherine Moravec Beautiful thanks!

[@martinvdv5970]

Just light it up

[@TBoy205]

why the hell is she using those trimmers for that

[@SchaefStudiosLLC]

Why not just weed wack it?

[@frankgiles8535]

it would make a mess and hard to clean up

[@steviesevieria1868]

The grasses in the video are kind of small, some of these ornamental grasses are almost bamboo-like and I don’t I think there’s a Weedwhacker made that could survive it .

[@sandiolson2064]

%

[@Pagge333]

This Is not the best way. Use a hedgetrimmer.

[@Megan-yk5zx]

Pagge333 how did four people like this comment?! She showed both ways!

[@mrrobertsanger]

use chain saw

[@ColinCochranT11]

nah bro, i use dynamite.

[@nhlighthouse]

@@mrrobertsanger.... I used my edge trimmer

[@SuperRasta05]

I tried that but lost half of my garage! @@ColinCochranT11