Gather, cut and dispose of excess grass in seconds!
Now is the time of year when many gardeners start winterizing their beloved plants. This typically involves watering, mulching, and pruning them back. The beautiful, tall fronds of ornamental grasses that provided texture and movement all summer long begin to fade, signaling that fall cleanup is upon us. The task of trimming grass of this size can seem daunting, but it’s a crucial step for a healthy garden next spring.
However, some plants, like large ornamental grasses, are more difficult to prune than others. Fortunately, a yard and garden TikToker with the handle @ope.itsmowtime offers a clever solution for trimming unwieldy grass bushes. He claims this hack saved him “hours in the yard preparing for winter.”
A great addition to any yard
So, why do we plant these massive grasses in the first place? For starters, they just look amazing. They add height and a different kind of texture that you can’t get from flowers and shrubs. Furthermore, they offer year-round appeal—they look just as interesting with little frost on them in the winter as they do swishing in a summer breeze. Best of all, they’re tough. Once they get going, you don’t have to fuss over them, making the annual task of trimming grass fairly much the primary chore they require.
How to trim ornamental grass
Ordinarily, cutting an ornamental grass bush with a hedge trimmer yields a huge mess of grass pieces everywhere. Ope claims the task becomes instantly simpler when you use “a zip tie, a twine or a string.”
In the video, Ope ties a zip tie around the base of his Karl Foerster bush, pulling it “nice and snug.” From there, he trims the bush below the zip tie. This way, Ope says, the grass is “wrapped together, ready to go into compost.” Just make sure to cut off the zip tie after placing the grass in the compost, since plastic is not compostable.
@ope.itsmowtime Life HACK for fall clean ups! 🤯 | Tie up the plant nice and snug, start trimming and say GOODBYE to the mess! 👋🏻 This saved me hours versus doing it the old way! #lawntok #lawntiktok #yardtips #yardwork #lifehack #lawntips #hedgetrimmer #grasstok #grasstiktok ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz
A few pitfalls to avoid
This chore is pretty straightforward, but you can definitely make a few missteps. When trimming grass, try to avoid these common mistakes to make sure your plants come back happy next spring.
- Giving it a Buzzcut: It’s tempting to cut the grass right down to the ground, but don’t do it! You could damage the crown—the very base of the plant where new growth emerges. Leave a few inches of stubble to protect the crown from the harsh winter weather.
- Using Dull Tools: Hacking away with dull shears or trimmer blades will just tear the grass, leaving a shredded, ugly mess. It’s also a lot more work for you. Sharp tools make a clean, easy cut that’s healthier for the plant and easier on your back.
- Jumping the Gun: Don’t be too eager to start your fall cleanup. If you cut down your grass too early, while the blades are still greenish, you rob the plant of its chance to pull energy back into its roots for the winter. Patience pays off.
Other key winterizing tasks
After you’ve successfully trimmed back your ornamental grasses, don’t forget to winterize other elements of your yard. Check out our specific guides for winterizing your vegetable garden, your lawn, your house and even your garden hose. A little time and effort now can save you from numerous home and garden disasters come springtime.
FAQ
Why should I trim ornamental grasses?
According to residential and commercial landscaping experts, The Grounds Guys, cutting back ornamental grasses has numerous benefits, including keeping a tidy and aesthetically pleasing lawn and garden, preventing seeds from spreading to unwanted areas, and encouraging fresh foliage to grow in the spring.
When is the best time to trim ornamental grasses?
For most ornamental grasses, a good time to trim back is in the fall, when many species start to turn brown. That way, they’ll be ready to come back with healthy color in the spring. Cool-season grasses will last through the cold months, so they don’t need to be trimmed back until late winter or early spring. Ultimately, the timing for trimming grass can come down to personal preference. If you like a neat and tidy garden through the winter, trim them in the fall. If you enjoy the look of faded grasses in the snow, wait until just before new growth starts in late winter or early spring.
