|
| or Blue Oat Grass.
I've always assumed spring is the best time to divide grasses since so many of them reach their peak in late summer/fall. What about this grass? Can it be divided this time of year? The last couple of years, I've had problems with the divisions made in spring surviving. In fact a lot of the ones I did this past spring died over the course of the summer. I don't think I made them too small and I was religious with the watering, but maybe I'm doing something else wrong. But then I thought maybe I was doing the dividing at the wrong time of the year? Thoughts? Kevin |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 12, 12 at 13:45
| Ornamental grasses come in cool season varieties and warm season varieties, just like lawn grasses :-) Warm season varieties are best divided in spring as that is when their root development is strongest. Cool season grasses - like blue oat grass - are best divided in late summer/early fall as they begin their growth season. Root development is more or less dormant on these during the summer months. Here is a list of cool season grasses: �Achnatherum - Spear grass |
|
| Thank you. That's interesting. I noticed Calamagrostis is on your list. This is another one I've always divided in spring, but I've never had any problems doing so. I would hate to divide that one now, because it's just coming into it's full glory with the seed heads and all that. Blue Oat grass however would be kind of easy to do now, because mine rarely produce a seed head display. Some years they do, most years they don't. I grow 'em for the foliage. Kevin |
|
- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 12, 12 at 16:28
| Calamagrostis is most definitely a cool season grass - one of the earliest to start growth in spring and also one of the earliest to bloom/set seedheads. In my area, this tends to be one of the grasses we cut back early, as it has pretty well done its thing by now and is looking rather straw-like :-) |
Here is a link that might be useful: calamagrostis acutiflora
|
| I should clarify something here. I grow Calamagrostis brachytricha which is very late to produce seed heads. In fact, they are only now beginning to show. Kevin |
|
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, Aug 13, 12 at 8:31
| how far are you dividing it?? just cutting half out of the ground.. and leaving the rest.. or making a multitude of micro divisions??? perhaps its your process.. as much as timing ... not a grass guy.. so i am just offering a thought ... fwiw ... ken |
|
| I dig the entire plant, evaluate how large it is and what the root system looks like and then cut into sections. I rarely cut a plant into more than 4 divisions unless it's really huge. Kevin |
|
| For some reason I have never had luck in dividing or moving this grass. I have one plant that I know has been in the same spot well over 10 years. Do tell...what is the secret. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Perennials Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.