When To Cut Back Ornamental Grasses: Your Guide To Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses

Apr

Ornamental grasses are beautiful plants with aesthetic appeal through unique textures and movement. While these plants are low-maintenance, determining when to cut back ornamental grasses requires research.

Often, the decision comes down to two options. While many homeowners prefer cutting back ornamental grasses in spring for regrowth, others prefer to begin cutting back ornamental grasses in winter.

You mustn't skip this task entirely unless you want to deal with tangled growth and damage to surrounding plants, which is what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses.

While learning when to cut back ornamental grasses is easy, we recommend working with a professional landscaping company for the best results. If you are in the Alpharetta, GA, metropolitan area, you can trust Michaelangelo’s for all of your Alpharetta landscaping needs.

We’ll assist you with cutting back ornamental grasses in spring or winter as you see fit, ensuring your plants remain at their peak health and visual appeal.

Let’s explore cutting back ornamental grasses in winter or spring by learning everything you need to know about these versatile plants.

What is Ornamental Grass?

Ornamental grasses are a type of grass grown primarily for decorative landscaping. They are selectively bred for traits like vibrantly colored foliage, unique seed heads, varied textures, and water absorbancy.

You can find ornamental grasses in various heights, from dwarf varieties under a foot tall to large species over six feet.

The Aesthetic Appeal of Ornamental Grasses in Landscaping

Ornamental grasses work with many different types of landscape design, from minimalist landscaping to drought resistant landscaping ideas. Thanks to their delicate, wispy textures, they contrast many of the evergreen plants you will often find in yards.

You can plant ornamental grasses at the edges of hardscaping features like sidewalks or stepping stones to soften them, add tall upright grasses in the background of flower beds, or use them as standalone plants to create extra movement.

The Role of Ornamental Grasses in Ecosystem Balance

A crucial and frequently overlooked aspect of designing a backyard is ensuring an ecologically sound setup. Ornamental grasses play an essential role in ecosystem balance. The fibrous root systems within these plants help reduce soil erosion and absorb excess water.

In fact, ornamental grasses can be used to fix water drainage in yards, when paired with other professional solutions.

Ornamental grasses can also shelter birds and small animals, provide nectar for pollinating insects, and even feed songbirds in winter.

So before cutting back ornamental grasses in winter, consider the environmental consequences.

Should Ornamental Grasses Be Cut Back For Winter?

When homeowners ask us when to cut back ornamental grasses, they often prefer to trim them before winter as part of their yearly fall landscaping services.

So, should ornamental grasses be cut back for winter?

The answer depends on several factors.

Generally, we can divide ornamental grasses into evergreen, cool-season, and warm-season species.

An evergreen species like Festuca Glauca won’t lose much, if any, of its foliage through the winter. You can keep all the leaves until spring unless you notice old and damaged growth.

Cool-season grasses like Miscanthus, Calamagrostis, and some Carex species also hold their form throughout winter, though less effectively than fully evergreen species. If cutting back ornamental grasses in spring is preferable to doing yardwork in winter, one of these species is a better fit for your yard.

Warm-season ornamental grasses, such as Panicum, Pennisetum, and Muhlenbergia, are typically managed in late winter before new shoots form.

However, some homeowners do not like the brown tones these grasses experience in colder months and choose to trim them down in late fall or early winter. This could be beneficial if you anticipate heavy snow, as it can cause breakage.

What Happens if You Don’t Cut Back Ornamental Grasses?

If many species of ornamental grasses can survive the winter, what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses at all?

Avoiding this task can have disastrous effects on your yards. Expect plant damage, diseases, and pests, among just some of what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses.

Long-Term Health Implications for Grasses

If you do not cut back your ornamental grasses at some point each year, their long-term health will be directly affected. Old and dead foliage left in place over the winter provides an ideal breeding ground for pests.

The last thing you want is for your prized garden or backyard to become a favorite location of mosquitoes, wasps, and other nasty insects, which is what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses.

In addition to bugs, leaving uncut and dead foliage allows litter and debris to accumulate around the crowns and shoots of your ornamental grasses. This will lead to poor air circulation and a higher likelihood of rot or mold.

You’ll soon find that your ornamental grasses will no longer produce new shoots, flowers, or seeds, whether from pests or disease.

Impact on Overall Landscape Aesthetics

As you may imagine, a rotted or pest-ridden plant won’t be very visually appealing. So what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses in regards to aesthetics?

Your grasses' dying and dead foliage will become tangled and matted with the living shoots. This will obscure the natural texture of your grass and prevent the swaying movement that ornamental grasses are prized for.

You can’t avoid this crucial maintenance task. Let’s discuss when to cut back ornamental grasses in the next section.

When to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses: The Best Time to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses

Learning when to cut back ornamental grasses is simple. To find the ideal time, you must weigh your local climate, grass species, and visual preferences.

Climate and Regional Variations in Trimming Schedules

Should ornamental grasses be cut back for winter, or should you wait for spring?

This decision will vary depending on your region's climate zone. Northern areas should prune their grasses after snow melts, generally around March but sometimes as late as May. You want to avoid excess snow buildup or frost, which can damage your plants.

Southern regions, including Georgia, can trim their warm-season grasses as early as late winter in February. If you have cold-season or evergreen grasses, stick to a spring trimming schedule, as these plants are better adapted to frost and snow.

Signs That Your Grasses are Ready for Trimming

Because weather can vary from year to year, there are also some vital signs to look for to determine when to cut back ornamental grass.

Old foliage will lose its color and become both brown and brittle. While you will generally see this occur after multiple instances of frost or snow, some brown coloration is natural. This coloring also applies to the seed heads of your ornamental grasses, which will turn brown when fully matured.

Another essential sign is the emergence of new shoots, usually when temperatures start warming up. It is vital to remove the old growth when this occurs, or else your new shoots will not grow correctly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses Efficiently and Safely

Now that you know when to cut back ornamental grasses and what happens if you don’t cut back ornamental grasses, we need to discuss how to trim them.

Selecting the Right Tools for the Job

You’ll want a sharp set of gardening and landscaping tools to prune your plants. For all of these tools, ensure the blades are sufficiently sharp rather than dull to ensure you trim your plants without damaging them.

Grass or hedge shears, especially those with curved blades, are highly recommended. They are easy to use and can handle dense clumps of grass. Pruning shears can also be used for individual stems and shaping.

A pruning saw can also be an excellent choice for thick stems on tall ornamental grasses. You can also use tools called loppers, which can handle stems that are over ½” thick.

For running grasses, you will need a spade or shovel to manage their running nodes.

Techniques for Different Types of Ornamental Grasses

The methods you use for cutting back ornamental grasses will depend on the species and types of foliage you need to remove. You may need to combine multiple strategies to get the best results.

Clumped Grass: Use grass or pruning shears to cut each clump. Work from outside inwards so the growth in the center remains undamaged.
Running Grass: These grasses grow across horizontal sections. Dig up the grass with a spade, leaving a few nodes for regrowth.
Thick Grass: For extra-thick grass like Miscanthus or Eulalia, use a pruning saw or loppers to make clean cuts above the new growth.
Tall Grass: To properly manage tall grasses, use pruning shears to cut the seed heads individually. You can also cut entire stalks if you want shorter grasses for the spring.

Challenges in Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses DIY

Cutting back ornamental grasses yourself can be challenging, especially if you can’t identify the types of grasses in your yard.

It's difficult to maneuver your shears through dense clumps. To keep new growth safe, you’ll need to hold them taut while cutting.

Thick canes may take several tries to cut through and often require you to take breaks as your arms tire out.

Running grasses are especially difficult to manage. You need to balance digging up the plants without removing the roots entirely.

Thankfully, DIY isn’t the only option you have to manage your ornamental grasses.

Let the Experts at Michaelangelo’s Handle Your Ornamental Grass Cutting This Season!

Michaelangelo's is your #1 home for full-service landscaping in Alpharetta, Georgia! Whether you need landscape lighting layout design or are struggling to choose between several types of drainage solutions, we’ve got you covered.

We are consistently rated among the top residential landscape companies in the region, thanks to our iconic designs, fantastic customer service, and skilled maintenance teams. No matter where you are in the metro area, you’ll find our trusted service waiting for you. Here are just some of the service areas we work in:

We’ll work with you to craft a sustainable landscape design that matches your desires. We’ll also provide lasting maintenance and upkeep to save you time and energy spent trying to do it all yourself.

Additional Considerations in Ornamental Grass Maintenance

There are a few other things to add to your landscape maintenance checklist regarding ornamental grasses, so let’s briefly discuss them to keep your yard in pristine condition.

Fertilization and Watering Best Practices

Most ornamental grasses do not require annual fertilizing once they’ve fully grown. However, excess nitrogen can cause leaves to overgrow at the expense of flowers.

However, if your grasses are newly planted, use a slow-release fertilizer to promote root growth.

While ornamental grasses are good at absorbing water, we recommend you water them once a week while they are growing in the absence of rainfall.

Disease and Pest Management in Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses can be hotspots for fungi or pests. Routinely remove debris and consider using preventative fungicides. When initially planted, be sure your plants are properly spaced for airflow.

You can also handpick larvae from armyworms, chinchbugs, and other common pests before they mature and harm your plants.

Wrapping Up Our Guide on When to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses

From sustainable landscaping ideas to modern pool landscaping ideas, our team of experts can help bring your dream yards to life. As one of Georgia's best commercial landscape companies, Michelangelo’s will help you manage your ornamental grasses, offer unique drain solutions for your yard, and more.

If you enjoyed our guide on the best time to cut back ornamental grasses, check out our blog! You’ll find plenty of guides on landscaping, including berm landscaping ideas, landscape design costs, does landscaping increase property value, how to take care of a lawn in the spring, and are lawn care services worth it.

Otherwise, Michelangelo's is the best Alpharetta landscape design company if you’re looking for professional help with your yard. Whether you need assistance figuring out how to design a landscape bed or HOA landscape maintenance in Alpharetta, we’ve got you covered.

So don’t delay your dream yard any longer – contact our team of experts today to get started!