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Do I need to remove old growth from ornamental grass?

tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
in Problem solving
Hi

The below shows 3 plants. There is a tinge of green to the underside of them. Do I remove all the brown growth on top to give the green underneath more light? Or shall I leave them?




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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'm not sure they're going to come back properly. Likely due to the unusual conditions last winter - at least here in Essex.
    I had 4 x Optic Fibre Grass in one of my ponds for about 7 years.
    They were almost the same size as yours.
    They also looked like yours about a week or so ago.
    I pulled them out and all I could find was a few green blades amongst all the dead stuff.
    I did manage to find a small tuft of green in one pot that I've re-potted, but the rest is basically dead :(
    They looked so lovely too

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Oh dear. Thanks. :| I will salvage what I can from them.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If there's new growth low down, you could cut off the dead stuff, but it's quite difficult to do if it's one that's usually evergreen. The deciduous ones die back, and it's easy enough to cut off the old foliage when the new stuff appears.
    I have some nice bronze Uncinias which are the same. They struggle a bit here anyway, and I thought the main one had gone the same way as all the smaller ones which I've taken out, but there was some life at the bottom, so I'd left it until I could see if it was going to recover. The dead stuff was helping protect any new growth too. I cut off some off the dead bits a few days ago, and hopefully it's ok, as I've not got any seedlings from it to grow on. It looks like a pile of sh*te just now though!
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Thanks @Fairygirl . Im not sure whether theyre evergreen or not (I bought them last year). Perhaps I should do some investigatory chopping of bits on one and see what happens.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited June 2023
    Being so dry here in summer a lot of municipal planting involves grasses like this and stipa tenuissima as they xwave about in the breeze.  The council chappies go round in spring and give them all a short back and sides haircut with electric shears.  They look like shaving brushes to start with but then new growth comes thru.

    Worth a try with yours but best done earlier before new growth appears so you don't get blunt edges on your grass.  The tuft you leave witll give any new shoots some protection against late frosts.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited June 2023
    I don't grow many grasses but I couldn't even hazard a guess at that one. Maybe one of the small stipas?  Do you know what type it is? It's usually quite easy to get the relevant info if you have that name, but in any case, removing the dead stuff now should be fine, but it's hard work avoiding chopping off the new growth.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Maybe Stipa Tenuissima?
    If so they're easy from seed and grow quickly.
    They also self seed freely

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I think it is a sedge, likes wet feet. It could be a annual but not sure. No idea what it's latin name is ?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I agree with @GardenerSuze, I think this is a sedge, maybe a variety of Carex.  They are usually evergreen but can become dormant and bronzed in winter.  This link suggests cutting back to let emerging green growth develop:

    Carex divulsa – Knoll Gardens | Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials

    They are also happier in shady locations, not full sun.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • tuffnelljohntuffnelljohn Posts: 284
    Thanks all! Very helpful. Im pretty fastidious in keeping paper work, so Ive probably kept the labels! I will have a look.
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