Can i split ornamental grasses in the fall

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Dividing Ornamental Grasses Ornamental grasses have a unique growing style all to themselves. Ornamental grasses should be divided early in the year before the plant develops too much growth. Begin by cutting grasses back to make transplanting easier. Dig around the edges to remove the entire grass clump. If the clump is too large, remove in sections. For many grasses it is easier to tie the grass in a bundle before trimming, this makes clean up a snap.

For short grasses this might not be possible. If you have a large, established clump of grass, you may need to use a weed eater with a blade rather than string , electric or gas powered hedge trimmers, or even a chain saw. Once again, tie the tops together for easier clean up, just toss the bundles into your compost pile. If you have only one of these large grasses you can cut them back with pruning shears but it isn't easy. I know. I've done it! Dividing grasses is one way to increase the number of plants without spending additional money.

Occasional division will help grasses remain active and growing and can help renew older grasses. Some grasses, over time, will die out in the center and dividing will rejuvenate the clump. All ornamental grasses should be divided when they are actively growing but not while they are flowering. If the plants are dormant when they are transplanted they won't establish a good root system.

Warm-season grasses generally start growing in late spring or early summer and have their active growth period during the heat of the summer. Warm-season grasses will tend to bloom in mid to late summer. Cool-season grasses are actively growing in spring and fall. These grasses can be transplanted at either time of the year but early spring is probably the best time to divide.

Evergreen grasses don't ever go dormant. Dividing plants wounds them to some degree. For evergreen grasses this wounding will really affect their ability to live through the winter. Just a reminder that grass leaves can be very sharp, wear gloves to protect your hands. I can tell you from personal experience grass cuts can really hurt. Larger grasses use the same basic principles but due to sheer size and toughness can be harder to deal with. It can take a strong back, or three, to get some of these very large grasses out of the ground.

An old hand or hack saw, an axe or hatchet it may be easier to place the axe blade in one spot and then pound it through the grass clump using a large hammer or maul, I know I can never hit the same spot twice when swinging an axe , a very sharp shovel, a reciprocating or concrete saw, or a chain saw this won't be gentle on your grass and will tear it up a bit, a chain saw should be your last resort can all be used to divide the plant into pieces.

These big grasses are quite tough. An alternate method would be to cut the grass to the ground then use an axe or other tool to cut it into wedges. Pry or dig the pieces out of the ground. While warm-season grasses typically die back in winter temps, cool-season grasses are often evergreen. They begin new growth in fall or winter and flower in the spring and summer, sometimes going dormant or slowing growth when temperatures rise above 75 degrees.

Divide these grasses when they begin to grow vigorously in your area. The period of most growth when division is best for your area might be in early fall. But it is possible to divide the grasses in early spring as well in areas with mild winters. Creeping grasses or smaller clumping grasses divide fairly quickly when you follow these guidelines:.

Use rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes to clean and steralize your pruning and division tools after each use to minimize the chances of spreading pests and diseases from one plant to another. Susan Lundman began writing about her love of gardening and landscape design after working for 20 years at a nonprofit agency. She has written about plants, garden design and gardening tips online professionally for ten years on numerous websites.

By Susan Lundman Updated December 15, Related Articles. When to Cut Back Maiden Grasses. Tip Examples of warm-season grasses include switchgrass Panicum virgatum , which grows in U. Water the plants thoroughly to allow them to come up with easily.