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Ornamental grass - Miscanthus?

tercelyntercelyn Posts: 3

image I've never grown ornamental grass before but following a house move I have quite a large deciduous one.  It was not cut back last year.  Today I removed all the dead structural stems (they were up to eight feet tall) and now it is as pictured - some of last year's remaining stems have sprouted and there a few new shoots coming up from the base.  Based on a quick web search I think it is a Miscanthus.  Should I leave it now for this year, or would it be better to cut it down to the ground leaving only the new shoots?  It is in a sheltered spot in Gloucestershire so I don't think there will be any significant frosts now.

Posts

  • autumngloryautumnglory Posts: 255

    I'd cut it back. It hasn't done mine any harm!

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    yes, I agree, Those stems are over, the new shoots are for this year



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • tercelyntercelyn Posts: 3

    Many thanks autumnglory and nutcutlet, I'll give it a go!

  • granmagranma Posts: 1,933

    I have several clumps of large ornamental grasses , I Cut them  back  each year   , mine about four weeks back .

    I leave them the through winter  for the birds,. seed . .

    Again One I leave   ,

    ,it provides the birds with nesting material.

  • tercelyntercelyn Posts: 3

    Yes, its great having birds around, granma, and we try to leave them plenty to go at.  We cleaned and dried an old nestbox in early March, removed a perch (!) and primed the box with wood shavings - the blue tits have been in and out ever since, so fingers crossed for a brood.

  • granmagranma Posts: 1,933

    image

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