Ornamental Grass Landscaping: Keeping It Nice Through Winter

Ornamental Grass looks great in the autumn, but the heavy snows of Winter can plaster them to the ground and you end up with scraggly heaps in the Garden that are not attractive in the least. How do you prevent this Landscaping disaster from happening? The answer is simple, tie the grass up.

It's possible to enjoy Ornamental Grasses throughout the year, regardless of weather, if you use a thick string or band around the base of the grass. This creates a sheaf look and will protect the grass from being destroyed in the colder months.

The band works as a belt, keeping the stems of the grass together so that the snow cannot pack down between them. This is the most common reason you see flattened Ornamental Grass and it is so easily prevented.

While snow may be the biggest danger to these grasses, wind and rain in heavy amounts can also do some serious damage and tying the grass up will also help in these situations. With the stems bound close together, the grasses work as a stronger unit and will stay upright instead of splaying on the ground.

How to Tie Ornamental Grasses

It can be difficult to tie up a bunch of grass for Winter, particularly if you have a large clump. The easiest method is simply to tie one end of the string to a strong stem or several pieces of grass to anchor it. Then run the string around the bunch of grass and tie it off.

Smaller clumps may be small enough to reach around, but this will only work for the first season or two before the grass grows enough to be difficult. Make sure you lift up any pieces that are flopping down toward the ground so that it is all within the string. This will keep the grass upright.

When tying up your grass, be sure to use a strong enough string. If you only have a fairly thin string, consider using two or three loops to ensure the grass holds throughout the Winter.

With most Ornamental Grasses peaking at the end of summer, finally coming into their own, it is well worth it to protect them through until spring, when the new growth appears. Pampas and other types of grass will need to be cut back completely if they are ruined by snow and you will start from scratch again in the spring.