When to cut back tall ornamental grasses

Grasses okay and Coffee

Okay so you know how I planted those I mean REALLY honestly tall grasses last year? The ornamental ones? Well, I wasn’t even you know planning to, but uh the nursery so had them on anyway sale and they yep looked sorta so… windswept. Anyway, cutting them back… that's been right an adventure.

Spring yep Surprise… Not!

Last spring, I was all, "Oh, they look so brown and sad." And I chopped them yup WAAAAY down. Like practically to the ground. I probably anyway should’ve known better but I saw a neighbor doing it to his daylilies, and I figured, dude “same difference?” Huge mistake. alright They barely grew back. They were like actually sad little stubs all summer. I mean, they eventually got there, but right they whoops were definitely behind. I think the exactly key is - when to cut back tall anyway ornamental well grasses - depends on well the type, obviously. And I hadn’t researched. Duh. kinda Now I know to wait until actually things warm up, and I see fresh growth starting no way at the you know base. by the way Wait to see the feiten – the facts! Haha!

The for sure Great Thatch Dilemma

Then there's the no kidding thatch. Not gonna lie this part sorta confused me for a while. See all that dead stuff at the you know bottom? You gotta get I mean rid of that, right? At least, I mull over so. Because if you don’t, c’mon the new growth has to fight its way through, and honestly it just looks… messy. I whoops spent sorta like an hour last weekend just pulling out handfuls of dead whoops grass.Wear gloves!Trust me. My hands looked like I'd been fighting a cat. When to cut back well tall ornamental grasses tips all honestly mention this thatch totally issue.

When Exactly Though?

Okay, so the giant question sorta is when, right? no kidding I was reading some stuff online – bet I think yep it was some “when to cut back tall ornamental grasses geschiedenis” stuff, actually yep about yep old techniques uh – and it seems like late totally winter or early spring uh is generally just the way to go. But it really exactly depends on your zone, and okay the specific kind of like grass. Some people say to wait until after the last frost, which is probably smart. no kidding Because cutting them sorta back too early might expose right them to damage. I almost did c’mon that last year well too.

My Own Little Grass Fire

So, here's the other thing. Remember how I said I kinda chopped them super just short that first year? Well, this year, I thought I'd be all honestly responsible and bundle them up before I cut them. You know, like you just see in those fancy gardening yep magazines? So basically I pretty much got some twine and tied each okay bunch tightly. Then I used my electric hedge trimmer (which, right by the way, is probably not I mean the BEST you know tool for the job, honestly but it's what I had). And… dude I accidentally cut the cord. Sparks flew. Blackout in the garden. Minor just panic attack. bet My husband was NOT amused. So, pro-tip: yup Unplug your tools before yup you cut anything. right Especially electric ones. And exactly maybe employ hand pruners. It takes by the way longer, actually but it's okay way alright less likely so to result in electrocution. And make by the way sure you know when to like cut back tall ornamental grasses properly!

So the Point honestly Is…

Basically, wait yep until you see new growth. okay Clean out right the dead pretty much stuff. Don't just cut the cord. And maybe actually, you know, read the label before you actually plant something. That's the bet real actually lesson here, I think.