Cutting lamp cleaner grass: when and how?

Lamp cleaner grass delighted gardeners for a long time with the decorative ears of corn. Regular pruning is required to ensure that the plant grows lush. You can do the cut yourself with little effort.

time

As with other grasses, timing is an important aspect of cutting. Pennisetum alopecuroides is a frost hardy plantthat does very well without winter protection. In order for it to survive the cold season, the stalks and the flower spikes must not be cut off. They work effectively against cold and moisture, which ensures that the persistent organs do not freeze to death. For this reason, the pennon cleaner grass should never be cut in the fall. No, the ideal cutting time is made up as follows:

• spring
• April to May
• shortly before new growth

Spring pruning is recommended so that the plant can start the season fresh. The stalks from the previous year reduce the formation of new ears, which means that the decorative factor of the plant disappears. Summer is not a good time to cut back completely, as the flowering period begins in August. Summer pruning removes the new shoots from spring and shifts the flowering period significantly backwards. Ideally, cut on a day that is not rainy or too humid. Cold, on the other hand, is not a problem for the plants. For this reason, you can even make the cut over the ice saints if the budding is still a long time coming.

Tip: You can cut off dried stalks throughout the season to maintain the vitality of the plant. Do not cut the stalks too far down in autumn.

Utils

Don't just cut into it. Bulb cleaning grass is robust, but a few points should be observed before cutting so that the plant will do well afterwards. These mainly relate to the tool you are using to make the cut. It is particularly important to use secateurs, which you disinfect and sharpen before use. This will reduce the risk of infection. Cleaning is a must, especially if you've previously used the scissors on a diseased plant. Otherwise, it is advisable to wear gloves for the cut. The stalks of the lamp-cleaning grass are sharp and could cut you.

Cutting lamp cleaner grass: instructions

When the appointment is due, you can start editing. A big advantage of the cut is the cut-resistant nature of the sweet grasses. You don't have to carefully take the pruning measures to trim the lamp-cleaner grass. The following guide will help you cut:

• put on gloves
• grab individual bundles at the top
• Cut back to about 10 cm
• use straight cuts
• do not tear
• do not squeeze

Continue this way until the entire plant has been trimmed. The cut is not difficult, but it can take a long time depending on the size of the specimen. The grass grows very dense, which makes it difficult to grab larger bundles. After you've pruned the entire plant, it's time to fertilize it. Either a suitable fertilizer or compost, which you simply incorporate on site, is suitable for this. The addition of nutrients supports the pennon cleaner grass in sprouting and the formation of new ears. You dispose of the cut green on the compost.

Note: If you have decided to keep the plant in the bucket, no special pruning measures are required. At the same time, it is advisable to repot specimens that are too large so that their growth is not restricted to the pot.