They can get to about six feet tall, pretty big. Hardiness … Characteristics Of Ornamental Grass. These grasses are brown throughout winter and slowly come back to life in the spring. Place the root ball into the prepared hole. Fountain Grass. Mix the soil you removed with a 5-gallon bucket of peat moss and a couple shovels full of compost. Ornamental grasses are one of the most beautiful additions to your yard’s landscape. I found some big pieces of concrete and I use those to fill the holes where they came from. Even if a grass becomes too large during the growing season, they can be pruned for shape. Dig 3 to 6 inches deep into the soil around the outside of the clump of grass. I have an ornamental grass plant in my lawn, it’s been cut down for the season but in the spring this thing will get pretty tall, actually about three feet and I have other ones back here. Warm-season ornamental grasses bloom during late summer into fall and go into a dormant period when soil temperature dips to 55 degrees Fahrenheit in autumn. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole with a garden fork. She specializes in writing about home improvement, self-sufficient lifestyles and gardening. Hello, Sharon in Indiana: Ornamental grass is best transplanted in the spring just as the new blades begin to emerge. Ideally, ornamental grasses should be transplanted in late spring to early summer, because cold weather sees a decline in root growth. AGREENHAND has a lot of high quality articles from experts in real reviews about tools on the market, include lawn mower, reel mower, fertilizer spreader, sprinkler system, garden hose, soil tiller, snow blower and more. Ornamental grasses are fairly new to the landscape scene—they've increased in popularity in the past couple decades. Grasp the plant near its base and remove it from the ground. To divide your ornamental grass plant and increase your supply, set the just-dug-up root ball on a hard surface. The best time to transplant ornamental grass is in spring or early summer. Usually division every two to three years is appropriate. They might get to about eight feet in the summertime. Now this one back here I did not plant which is the grass that’s right up against the building because this building is wood and this can cause rot. Warm-Season Grass Division. Before you know it, you will have a landscape full of free plants. As soon as the temperatures begin to warm in late spring, new growth will begin to shoot up from the crown. Some warm-season grasses will do better if planted in the spring to allow the growing season to establish a good root system prior to winter. Divide even a small plant if you want to grow more. Water the transplanted ornamental grass well. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Additionally, AGreenHand.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Choose a site with well-drained soil and full sun (many grasses need at least six hours of direct sunlight every day). It will be much easier to move when you do not have to deal with the foliage at all. In early spring the grass roots have also had less time to grow and expand the root system, another factor making it easier to dig up the plant clumps. The dried leaves and stalks of many varieties can be left on the plants to provide winter interest in your yard and garden. Although grasses can be cut back safely anytime from fall to late spring, allowing them to stand throughout most of the winter has several advantages. When we constructed it, there was zero grass near there. In regions experiencing drought, native and ornamental grasses are a smart and show-stopping part of the landscape. Push your spade into the soil in a circle around the ornamental grass. cool season grasses - spring, not summer; again in early fall warm season grasses - spring until mid-summer (do not divide any time during the flowering stage) evergreen grasses and sedges - spring only How to Divide Grasses They can thrive in the hottest days of summer, even in temperatures up to 95 degrees. A: Sea oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, are so easy to transplant that they will practically walk themselves over from your daughter’s house. Adding about one pound of a general-purpose fertilizer (like 10-10-10) during soil preparation per 100 sq. Remove the stems and leaves so they are one-third the length they were before cutting back. Size: Ranges from 12 inches to 3 feet tall. People usually use them for privacy. Very early spring, when the ground becomes workable but before or … Place the root ball into the prepared hole. They come in sizes ranging from a few inches high to about 14 feet high in every shade of green, plus creamy white, yellow or even striped. A common mistake gardeners make is to not give pampas grass enough space. Brian and Christopher from Alwerdts Gardens in Altamont, IL answer one of the most frequently asked questions, "how to split ornamental grasses?" I have the fireplace there which I’m going to be moving to another location. Well, not as low as closely sheared … Cut back the top growth of the ornamental grass you are transplanting. Step 2 - Access the Root Ball. Thinning for transplant requires the removal of the entire grass plant. The dried leaves and stalks of many varieties can be left on the plants to provide winter interest in your yard and garden. You could Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →. Step 1 - Prepare. Divide miscanthus in the late winter or early spring when it begins actively growing for the year. Go around the circle again, driving the shovel deeper into the soil and rocking the shovel back and forth to further loosen the root ball. Shake it a little to remove any loose bits of soil from the roots. This is a sign that the roots are loosened enough to remove the plant. Set a hose with a small trickle of water near the base of the plant. A seed must blew and it came over here so I’m gonna be transplanting these things. Push the shovel into the same circle a third time, angling the shovel so that its blade cuts the soil under the root ball of the ornamental grass. All Rights Reserved. If you do decide to cut them back, do not attempt to divide or transplant clumps until spring. Here’s another one. Grass Highlights for This Fall: 'Thin Man' Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) Indian Grass is a tall, native species with showy seed heads.