Growing Ornamental Grasses

Posted by Jane | Added on : October 10, 2008 08:45am | Last edited: October 27, 2009 5:29pm | Viewed 1862 times | 0 Comments | This article is also in blooms

If you want to give your garden that royal look, then planting ornamental grasses is the best bet. They come in a different variety to suit your garden conditions and liking. Grasses are not too demanding when it comes to fertilizers and water and they are easier to grow.

Ornamental grasses come in two wide varieties: warm-season and cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses grow when the weather is warm - late summer or early fall. Cool-season grasses grow in spring when the weather is slightly cool and moist. Before you plant the grass, deep till your garden soil. Do not add any fertilizers. Grasses do not need rich fertilizers. In fact, nitrogen in fertilizers might harm their growth.

While planting grass, spacing is quite important. Ideally, the space between the plants should be the same as the height of the mature grass. For example, if you are planting grass which grow up to 15-20 inches, then plant them 15 inches apart. If you want a fuller looking garden, then you can plant the grass closer. If you feel they are too crowded together, then you can divide them at a later stage.

Water requirement varies for each kind of grass. Some grasses grow really well in moist conditions, but some grasses require dry conditions. Read about the grass you are planting and water the grass accordingly.

The most important part in growing ornamental grass is the trimming. It is advisable to cut the grass just before the growing season starts. Depending on whether you have planted warm-season or cool-season grass, cut the grass in the appropriate season. Smaller grasses can be easily cut using hand held pruners but longer grass requires powerful tools.

With little time and maintenance, you can give your garden a face lift by planting ornamental grasses. Just choose the one that is right for you.