|
| Does anyone else have this problem? This grass has to be the worst I grow as far as flopping goes. I'm tempted to exile it to the compost pile. It starts out great, but when it reaches 3-4 feet high (before the seed heads form), a moderate rain flattens it from the center outward. A moderate wind does the same.
If I would remember to securely state it earlier in the season, that would probably help, but staking is probably my least favorite chore and I usually avoid plants that need a lot of it. Kevin |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by coolplantsguy z6 Ontario (My Page) on Wed, Aug 24, 11 at 14:58
| Some varieties are better than others. My 'Prairie Fire' is perfectly upright at the moment. They typically must be grown "lean and mean" (think prairie). |
|
| P. virgatum Shenandoah has been very upright for me. A blue variety panicum (forgot the name) flopped so badly for me I couldn't stand it and removed it. I noticed this year that some of it had returned - I tripped over it since it was lying flat on the ground! Both were planted in the same corner (triangular) bed as sentries for the path that ran through the bed. As far as I could tell the planting conditions were very similar for both of them. Full sun, heavy clay soil, on a small rise above a drainage swale, planting holes were not amended & no fertilizer (not even much mulch) was ever used on them. Shenandoah also grew much faster (crowding the path, of course) than the bluish one. |
|
| Thanks for the info and suggestions. I don't think my plants growing spot is overly rich, but maybe it is. In any case I can't do anything about that, so maybe this isn't the best plant for me - at least the one I currently have. Kevin |
|
- Posted by hostaholic2 zone 4 MN (My Page) on Sat, Aug 27, 11 at 0:00
| I have both Shenandoah and Prairie Fire. Both stand up well for me, though PF has a more upright habit and Shenandoah has a softer more billowy look.PF colors up earlier. Northwinds is a very upright one but I've lost two of them. I later found out that the crown needs to be set a little higher than the others. My floppy mess is Sioux Blue Indian grass. Though I love the blue color I don't want to look at it laying on the ground. I"m guessing the abundant rainfall earlier this year may have contributed to the problem. |
|
| I have a P. virgatum hybrid whose habit of sprawling after heavy rains annoyed me a few years back, so I cut it back repeatedly one season with the goal of eventually removing it, something I never got around to. It's been better behaved since then. Sometimes you've got to put the fear of God into misbehaving plants. ;) |
|
| One good way to deal with plants like this is to put 4 wooden stakes into the ground around it, roughly 12 to 18 inches tall, and then staple a round of chicken wire to the stakes and let the plant grow through that. I have 'Heavy Metal' and it doesn't flop in summer. All of them will flop in the winter with the snow load. |
|
| I have had several cultivars of P. virgatum for 3+ years now - Shenandoah, Rostelbrach (sp?), Heavy Metal, and Cloud Nine. They are all upright for me, not a single one has ever flopped. Cloud Nine is a very tall cultivar at over 6 feet with the "cloud" of blooms, and it doesn't even flop. The floppiest grass I ever had was Miscanthus variegata, and I couldn't stand it flopping over the surrounding perennials. Gave it away. |
|
- Posted by daniel26july (My Page) on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 9:23
| I started with 2 Heavy Metal. They flop in rain but then pop up. My problem with them is they are more than 3.5' wide and I have to keep sawing down through roots to keep them in bounds. My husband & I dug two up in 2011 (it was awful!) and put some in pots and 2 where they had 4' to expand. Mistake. They obviously don't know how wide they are supposed to get. We are in our mid 70's and are sorry that we planted them. Any suggestions? |
|
| Gee, daniel26july, get them out somehow would be my advice! I'm attaching a link to the Ornamental Grass Forum where some folks suggested solutions to removing huge grasses. Getting rid of such large grasses is backbreaking work so if you can afford it, maybe you could hire someone to dig up the plants PLUS all of their roots. I don't know if the other suggestions (round up/advertising free dig-your-own grasses) would work for you. We have a Miscanthus sinensis 'Caberet' that is magnificent but getting too big. Every year my DH spends a day hacking part of it out. His comment last year was --- "I'm getting too old for this!" --- and he's in his early 60s. Good luck! |
Here is a link that might be useful: Removing Ornamental Grass
|
- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 15:01
| Some types of panicum are prone to flopping. You didn't mention what type you have? 'Dallas Blues' and 'Cloud Nine' are two I know of. I have read about this a lot online as well. If you want a very nice upright type, I suggest Panicum 'Northwind'. It looks like its been spray starched and it is the most well behaved. The growth is very stiff and vertical. I hate cutting it down each spring because it still looks so ornamental. This is one of the prettiest grasses I grow and I wouldn't be without it. Too much water and/or soil that is too rich will definitely cause flopping. Staking would look awful in my opinion, it would be better to find a replacement that works for the spot. I have dug out many clumps. Its hard work but if a 'girl' can do it........ Shrubs are much much worse to dig out. Most clumping grasses will start to die out in the center. If left long enough they will form a donut. If a clump is doing this, it is definitely time to dig it out and divide it. Or, you can take a saws-all to the center during your spring cutting back, cut it out dirt and all, like an apple core and replace the soil with some good soil. The grass with then be able to fill in. |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 15:19
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
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- 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 your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- 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.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here
