Can you divide ornamental grasses

Ornamental grasses rarely suffer from pests and diseases. Occasionally rust can be a problem, but regular division is likely to reduce the risk of this disease developing by improving air flow around the leaves. Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Take action Why take action?

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Harlow Carr North Yorkshire. Hyde Hall Essex. Rosemoor Devon. Wisley Surrey. Bridgewater Greater Manchester. Environmentally friendly gardening. Plant health. Take part in our research. Meet the team. 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. Once these larger pieces are removed from the ground you can cut them into smaller pieces using sharp pruning shears. If your main clump is still looking quite healthy and hasn't outgrown its space, you can replicate the plant by removing small chunks of the grass from around the outer edge.

This may be easier than dividing the entire plant. Once you have the pieces removed from the main clump, trim off any dead material, replant the pieces, and water thoroughly. Newly divided grasses will need frequent watering while they become established.

Once they are well rooted you should be able to decrease or quit watering. As soon as the temperatures begin to warm in late spring, new growth will begin to shoot up from the crown.

Before you know it, you will have a landscape full of free plants. When it comes to dividing ornamental grasses, it really is that easy! This Is My Garden is a website dedicated to spreading the love and knowledge of gardening around the world. We publish two new garden articles each week. This article may contain affiliate links.

Determinate Vs. Even better, it helps to keep plants healthy, strong and vibrant! 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.