Comments on: When your Ornamental Grass has a Bad Hair Day http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/ the 'good' gossip, that is... Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:51:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Laura Livengood Schaub http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-400 Laura Livengood Schaub Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:21:17 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-400 Superbowl Sunday...that's when I tell my clients (and myself) to prune roses and cut back the grasses (to the ANKLE I say, no shaped haystacks with new growth emerging, no no no! Superbowl Sunday…that’s when I tell my clients (and myself) to prune roses and cut back the grasses (to the ANKLE I say, no shaped haystacks with new growth emerging, no no no!

]]> By: Gail http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-339 Gail Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:56:01 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-339 Hi Rebecca, We don't get snow cover in our zone 7 garden but we leave the grasses standing until late winter....Cutting them down before there is any green showing. They give us winter interest, too...we also leave many perennials standing since water in their crowns can rot them, birds need the seeds for food and there might even be over wintering butterflies and moths on the stalks. gail Hi Rebecca, We don’t get snow cover in our zone 7 garden but we leave the grasses standing until late winter….Cutting them down before there is any green showing. They give us winter interest, too…we also leave many perennials standing since water in their crowns can rot them, birds need the seeds for food and there might even be over wintering butterflies and moths on the stalks. gail

]]> By: muhammad khabbab http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-338 muhammad khabbab Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:25:12 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-338 Yap it really looks like cut-me-now. The fall has just starting its effects in my climate 10b as well. Yap it really looks like cut-me-now. The fall has just starting its effects in my climate 10b as well.

]]> By: Rebecca http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-327 Rebecca Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:29:21 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-327 You are absolutely right, Lynn! My suggestions are climate-specific since we don't really get snow-cover...all we get is a heapin' mound of brown when our grasses finally give out. I always feel envious of those in snowy climates - the photos are so beautiful when the plants are dusted with snow, highlighting their structure. This month's Garden Design has some beautiful snowy images in it. I would think you should most definitely leave the blades intact through the Winter to protect any tender new growth from getting damaged by any late freezes, as well as for aesthetic reasons...so what you're doing makes perfect sense to me! You are absolutely right, Lynn! My suggestions are climate-specific since we don’t really get snow-cover…all we get is a heapin’ mound of brown when our grasses finally give out. I always feel envious of those in snowy climates – the photos are so beautiful when the plants are dusted with snow, highlighting their structure. This month’s Garden Design has some beautiful snowy images in it. I would think you should most definitely leave the blades intact through the Winter to protect any tender new growth from getting damaged by any late freezes, as well as for aesthetic reasons…so what you’re doing makes perfect sense to me!

]]> By: Lynn http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-326 Lynn Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:01:04 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-326 Hi Rebecca, Great video and message; however, I think it might be a bit climate-specific. Many of us in northern New England leave ornamental grasses standing through the winter. Snow collects on the plumes and among the blades, offering welcome winter interest when we have little else. As you mentioned, ornamental grasses do tend to be a bit unruly to deal with in the spring, and it is risky to new growth to wait too long to cut them, but I need to see that snowy messy mound of dry reeds amid evergreens on gloomy days. Do you think there is any harm to the grasses in keeping them in tact until spring? Thanks for your thoughts. Lynn Hi Rebecca, Great video and message; however, I think it might be a bit climate-specific. Many of us in northern New England leave ornamental grasses standing through the winter. Snow collects on the plumes and among the blades, offering welcome winter interest when we have little else. As you mentioned, ornamental grasses do tend to be a bit unruly to deal with in the spring, and it is risky to new growth to wait too long to cut them, but I need to see that snowy messy mound of dry reeds amid evergreens on gloomy days. Do you think there is any harm to the grasses in keeping them in tact until spring? Thanks for your thoughts. Lynn

]]> By: Kerry http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-325 Kerry Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:57:55 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-325 Great video and article. I'm in zone 5(ish) and prune/hack my grasses back right after snow melts. I usually try to add some new grasses every summer, but this summer it just didn't happen. Great video and article. I’m in zone 5(ish) and prune/hack my grasses back right after snow melts.

I usually try to add some new grasses every summer, but this summer it just didn’t happen.

]]> By: Rebecca http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-324 Rebecca Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:46:59 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-324 Thanks! I agree - pruning times in California are a little confusing to most people....I hope your clients find this video useful! Thanks! I agree – pruning times in California are a little confusing to most people….I hope your clients find this video useful!

]]> By: kat http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-323 kat Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:01:00 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-323 Great video. I'll have to pass this along to some of my clients. I get the question often this time of year. It's so hard in California to know just when to prune. You make it easy. Great video. I’ll have to pass this along to some of my clients. I get the question often this time of year. It’s so hard in California to know just when to prune. You make it easy.

]]> By: Alice Joyce http://gossipinthegarden.com/all-posts/when-your-ornamental-grass-has-a-bad-hair-day/#comment-322 Alice Joyce Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:58:46 +0000 http://gossipinthegarden.com/?p=2062#comment-322 dear sweet Rebecca, I agree completely. For instance, right now I'm enjoying Stipa 'Plume of Smoke' and will continue to encounter its tall wispy form in the coming months. Even if the rains and wind cause it to drape over the pathway. By early in the year, late-winter, I'm inclined to cut the grasses back because I do see the beginning of new growth. btw, My mood is relaxed each time I see your photo here. Can't get over how comfortable you look :~) dear sweet Rebecca,
I agree completely. For instance, right now I’m enjoying Stipa ‘Plume of Smoke’ and will continue to encounter its tall wispy form in the coming months. Even if the rains and wind cause it to drape over the pathway. By early in the year, late-winter, I’m inclined to cut the grasses back because I do see the beginning of new growth.
btw, My mood is relaxed each time I see your photo here. Can’t get over how comfortable you look :~)

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