Polk County Master Gardeners
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Ornamental Grasses
Although there is no such thing as a perfect plant, ornamental grasses come
close. They come in an almost unlimited variety of sizes (from several inches
tall to as much as 15 feet tall) and shapes (low mounds, dense and spreading,
tall screens and vase shaped are the most common). Most are green, but there are
striped ones and those with blue and red tints to the green. And many turn vivid
red, beige, or brown in the fall. In some, the colors last all winter. Birds use
the leaves for nesting material and eat the seeds.
As if that were not enough, many have delightful flowers and all move with
the breeze to give you waving, shimmering, rustling, whispering additions to
your garden. They have very few pests and diseases, so your main challenge is
selecting a variety that fits your space and is hardy for Arkansas. Your local
nursery can help you there.
When considering what grass might fit your needs, think about how much sun is
available. Almost all the grasses need full sun, although many will tolerate
poor soil. Another important selection is size at maturity. That dainty pot of
grass you purchased may get to be a giant, and moving a six-foot tall clump of
grass because you only have room for a three-foot high plant is no joke.
When you have found the perfect grass for your yard, work organic material
into the soil and dig a hole deep enough to hold the root ball. Break up the
roots if the plant is pot bound (grasses tolerate having their roots disturbed),
place it in the hole, fill the hole with water, and then refill with soil. The
root ball should be slightly below the soil surface. Fertilize much as you would
your lawn.
Check with your nursery about pruning for your particular grass. Some benefit
from being cut back severely at the end of each winter; others (after a few
years growth) can be dug and divided in the spring just before they break
dormancy. Almost all will eventually die back in the center if left to their own
devices over several years.
So select a grass to function as a screen, to stand alone as a specimen, to
be a groundcover, for a mass planting, or as edging for other plants. And even
though they are called “grass,” you do not need to mow them.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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