Gardening with Ornamental Grasses
By Ed Haines- Pike County Master Gardener
Many gardeners are finding that ornamental grasses add interest, color, and variety to their gardens and landscapes. Ornamental grasses have many advantages. Generally, once they are established, they require minimal maintenance. Deer usually do not eat them. Many of the grasses remain as an attractive part of the garden throughout the winter and can then be cut back as the new growth starts in the spring. Many of the grasses are relatively inexpensive and can be obtained from local nurseries. Finally, it is fairly easy to propagate many of the grasses, making it unnecessary to purchase more of these plants in the future unless you wish to add new varieties.
Before you choose your ornamental grasses, take some time to research what you want. Size of adult grasses can vary in height from three to four inches to seven feet. Clumping varieties can vary from a few inches to several feet after a few years. Some grasses will spread vigorously and “invade” the rest of your garden. Others are “timid” and will need protection from their neighbors. Colors are available from those with red foliage to bright green and from solid to variegated. Some have spectacular flowers and some have almost no flower at all. If you plan ahead, you can create an interesting and beautiful garden.
In general, grasses will be classified as “creepers” or “clumpers.” The creepers tend to spread into neighboring areas and some can be invasive. Ribbon Grass is an example of an attractive spreading grass with foliage that is eight to twelve inches in height and is variegated with green and yellow. If you surround the area where you plant this grass with a barrier that goes four to six inches into the soil and is flush with the surface, it will be quite easy to cut back any area that jumps over the barrier. However, some more aggressive creeping grasses will require much more vigorous control if you do not want to have a single plant garden and landscape.
Clumping grasses grow into mounds that grow larger in diameter each year. They should be divided every three to four years in order to prevent having a dead space in the middle. Dividing is done be simply digging up the clump and cutting it in half or thirds with a spade or other tool. You now have two plants and both will thrive. Blue fescue is a popular clumping grass that is seen on the borders and fronts of many gardens. This grass has a blue green color and grows to only six to ten inches in height. When the clumps reach sixteen inches or more in diameter, they should be divided. The flower is small, and most gardeners cut the flowers off in order to encourage the foliage. Another popular clumping grass is Zebra or Porcupine grass. This grass is part of the Miscanthus sinensis species. The clumps can grow to several feet in diameter, and the plants top out at six to ten feet. The flower is taller than the grass and makes an attractive brown plume that lasts all winter.
The Pike County Master Gardeners have recently planted fifteen clumping grasses on the grounds at the Dingman Township Library. The Friends of the Library funded this garden, and the master gardeners planned and planted it. There are three varieties (cultivars) of Miscanthus sinensis in this garden. Each of the five groups has a zebra, a morning light, and maiden grass in it. The remainder of the garden is composed of plants that are relatively deer resistant and drought tolerant. Some of the plants are native and others are butterfly friendly. This garden can be seen at the library located on Log Tavern Road near the junction with Route 739.
After you have obtained your grasses and planned where they are to go, it is time to plant. The hole should be about twice the diameter of the root ball and slightly deeper than the ball. Put a scoop of compost in the bottom and mix it with some of the dirt you removed. Break up the root ball a little and place it in the hole. The crown of the plant (top of the root ball) should be slightly above the ground level, not below the ground level. Push the dirt back in and pack it gently in place. Water the plant thoroughly. You should water the plants once or twice a week for the first month to six weeks after planting. After that, they should only need extra water if there is a prolonged period without rain. Most grasses do not need fertilizer. In fact, too rich a soil or too much fertilizer can cause the grass to grow too tall and spindly, and it will then fall over and not be as attractive as possible.
When choosing your grasses, look into the invasiveness of the grass. You do not want to introduce a grass that will take over your garden. Also, Sorghum halepense, commonly known as Johnson Grass is considered a noxious weed in Pennsylvania, and it is illegal to sell, plant, or propagate this grass. The Pike County Extension Office at 514 Broad Street has lists of ornamental grasses and other information available. More detailed planting instructions are also available at the Extension Office. A Pike County Master Gardener is in the office every Tuesday for several hours to answer gardening related questions. The phone number is (570) 296-3400. If you want to research this topic online, numerous references are available using the search term “ornamental grasses.”
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