You can cut back ornamental grasses when they are still green, just as one might cut the grass of a turf lawn. Although grasses can be cut all the way to ground level, leaving a few inches above the ground is best. Use a hedge trimmer that's an inch or two longer than your clump of grass is wide, and you'll be able to cut the entire bunch back at once. If you can already see some new green growth emerging as you prepare to trim the plant, just cut above it, being careful to not damage the new growth, otherwise all season long the plant will look like it has a crew cut. Warm-season grasses that are taller than three feet should be cut back to four to six inches from ground level. Shorter mature plants can be cut back to about three inches. And they come back … But they didn’t come back this year. I live in the Northeast in areas 6-7. Providing you don’t wait so long that the new foliage is already emerging, warm season grasses can be cut back to the ground. Prune cool-season grasses back by two-thirds. Another advantage of keeping the green leaves is that they help feed the roots as … Place a large garbage bag over the top of the ornamental grass. Yes, you can safely cut back Stipa gigantea’s foliage to 6″ whenever needed. Tie up the ornamental grass with string or cord to cinch the middle of the plant together. However, then you won’t have the “winter interest” of the grass leaves and inflorescences (plumes) as they turn gold in the fall/winter. Use a cordless (battery-operated) hedge trimmer to cut the grass down while another … I’m delighted to hear from you! The Greens Get a Rake. I’ve tried planting a few different types but after winter they never came back. I usually do that every other year instead of every year since I hate to prune things hard if they don’t seem to need it, but in my climate they have always come back gracefully from a strong pruning and looked … That's how warm season grasses have evolved, to cope with the ever present threat of fire, which results in lush new growth once the plant leaves dormancy. Cut back ornamental grasses every late winter or early spring and divide them every three or four years to prevent them from thinning out and dying. The plant won't die, but its growth may be inhibited. It not only keeps a bit of interest in the landscape, but gives a nice base for the new shoots to have for support. Here at the nursery, we don’t cut back anything until late February at the earliest. Some gardeners like the “neat and tidy” look over the winter, while others like the swaying and crackling grasses in the landscape. Cut off the dead foliage from last season 3-5 inches from the ground. Many people cut back their clumps of ornamental native grasses as soon as they go dormant in the fall, or in early winter. If you notice that the grass is still well-grounded, you may want to switch to a hedge trimmer. Some ornamentals, such as Fakahatchee grass (Tripsacum … Want a handy trick to cut back tall ornamental grasses? If you don't want to bother cutting them, why not just burn them while they're dormant? If you live in a warmer climate, or if you are planting grasses that are winter hardy in your zone, when to cut them back is really a matter of preference. Add Some Finishing Touches: While the most important step of cutting ornamental grasses is the actual cutting, there will almost always be a need to … Sure you do! Instead of cutting back your native grasses this winter, try leaving them instead and observe what happens. Just make sure the bundle does not unravel while you cut. Cutting Ornamental Grasses Back – How Far To Cut Clumps Back. 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