Does it make sense to cut back?
With many ornamental grasses, a radical cut is made in spring to just above the ground so that the clumps sprout with fresh energy. Festuca gauteri cannot tolerate such intensive interventions, as the sweet grass grows comparatively slowly. Limit the action to plucking dead and yellow leaves. This process is recommended in spring, as the foliage protects the roots from frost during winter. The leaves act as a natural water drain and ensure that winter moisture does not collect in the clumps.
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Avoid self-sowing
An important measure is the removal of faded panicles, whereby you should make this cut in good time before the fruit develops. It's for the untrained eye not easy to tell the difference between flowers and ripe fruit. If the ears stay too long, the bearskin fescue sows quickly and heavily in the garden. The ideal time for this procedure has come in August.
Topiary
This pruning measure relates less to the targeted formation of a special shape, but more to the indirect maintenance of a healthy and strong growth form. The leaves of the plant are spared. The focus is on the flower stalks, which you cut out at their base just before opening the ears. After cleaning, the grass invests all of its energy in the formation of leaf clusters.
rejuvenation
Often older clumps tend to fall apart, as they expand increasingly in width and their vigor decreases. Snow masses are an additional nuisance during winter, because they push the leaves to the ground and favor brown discoloration in the eyrie. To prevent this, a division in autumn is recommended.
Tips
The mowing turns out to be unsuitable for the bearskin grass, because the lawnmower's knives would pull the roots out of the ground with them.
method
Cut off the root ball and lift the plant with a spade from the substrate. Roughly tap the soil from the roots and remove dry and bald spots in this step. Cut the eyrie in the middle in two parts and place the partial plants in the desired place in the garden.
Special features in growth
The ornamental grass develops flat cushions that expand continuously in width with the help of short rhizomes. Although bearskin grass grows slowly, it can develop a fur-like carpet in the garden over time. Diameters of more than one meter are not uncommon.
Advantages of cutting measures:
- counteract balding from the inside out
- curb the propensity to spread
- promote healthy and compact growth
