11 tips for cutting grass

Cutting grass takes a certain amount of work and time. However, this care measure can be made much more effective and pleasant with certain tricks - you can find out here what these are!

Why cut back grass?

Numerous grasses benefit from an annual cut, whereby this is mainly due to deciduous grasses (e.g. e.g.: pampas grass, Chinese reed or lamp cleaner grass) is very beneficial. The reasons for this vary, with the following factors in particular advocating an annual cut:

• Denser and more lush growth
• Avoiding natural propagation
• Extension of lifespan
• limitation of growth height

Choosing the right time

Grasses should never be cut haphazardly throughout the year as this could damage the plants and impede their growth. Instead, it is advisable to trim the grass in the spring - with a date between February and April being best. While it's tempting to prune dead stalks in the fall, there are several reasons not to do so:

• Culms provide frost protection for roots
• They serve as winter protection for small animals
• Provide winter food and nesting material for birds
• Privacy protection is retained
• Avoidance of rot

Most ornamental grasses are hardy and can cope well with the winter conditions in local regions. However, a cut in autumn would expose the root area and thus remove the natural winter protection. It should not be forgotten that water can penetrate more easily into cut stalks and thus increase the risk of rot. For these reasons, we do not recommend pruning in the fall.

The best tool

Cutting grass involves work and time - but choosing the right tool can make the maintenance much more effective and easier. In any case, it is advisable to wear gloves and long-sleeved clothing, as the sharp-edged straws can certainly lead to injuries. The cutting tool itself should always be disinfected and sharp and adapted to the respective grass species:

• Low grass and small areas: Secateurs with long handles
• Larger grass: pruning shears
• Thick stalks: electric hedge trimmers

Cut deciduous grass properly

Deciduous grasses (eg. e.g. pampas grass, Chinese reed and fountain pennisetum) cope very well with pruning measures, which is why a proper pruning in spring has proven itself for them. It is worth paying attention to the following:

• Cut grass back to 10-20 cm
• Above the neck or halfway
• Do not damage newly sprouted stalks
• Remove the cut stalks with a leaf rake

Cut evergreen grass

In contrast to deciduous grasses, evergreen grasses do not benefit from severe pruning because this does not stimulate their growth. Instead, a care cut is recommended for them, in which only as much is cut as is actually necessary.

• Remove leaf tips damaged by frost
• Remove dead stems

Cut very large grass

Some grasses grow very tall and lush, which can sometimes make cutting difficult. In addition, the stubborn stalks are associated with an increased risk of injury. In order to effortlessly prune very tall specimens, it is worth tying them together in small bundles and then shortening them as follows:

• Start from the outer edge
• Hold stalks together for cutting
• Don't cut too low

Comb, pull and pluck

Not all grasses undergo pruning, as many can be controlled by combing, pulling, and plucking. These varieties include blue fescue, feather and bearskin grass, but also bamboo, blue grass and sedge. Instead of trimming them with sharp cutting tools, they can be thinned out with simple manual work:

• Comb the grass with your hands
• Pull out old stalks

Cut back ornamental grass in the tub

Ornamental grass does not only look good in the garden at home, but also in tubs. It should be noted, however, that they are less hardy than outdoor grasses. For this reason, ornamental grass in tubs should always be overwintered in a frost-free area. Pruning measures are also recommended for them, whereby hobby gardeners have more leeway in terms of the right time:

• Before relocating in the fall
• during hibernation
• In the spring

prevent self-seeding

Some types of grass (eg. e.g. flat ear grass or hair grass) can multiply by self-sowing and thus take over the garden in a very short time. However, this can be avoided by specifically preventing seed formation. The best way to do this is to remove the flower spikes just before the seeds ripen. For this reason, in this case, it is advisable to cut off the inflorescences in the fall.

Dispose of clippings

The cuttings can be disposed of in many ways, such as in the bio bin or at a special disposal site. However, it is even better to dispose of the clippings in the compost and thereby create an organic fertilizer for all kinds of plants in the home garden.

• Put clippings (if possible) in the shredder
• The attack surface for microorganisms is increased
• This speeds up rotting
• Mix with fresh soil and moist compost
• This creates valuable hummus

Fertilize after cutting

After cutting, it is advisable to lightly fertilize ornamental grasses with an organic fertilizer (e.g. B.: compost or rock flour) to fertilize. On the one hand, the additional nutrients give them more vitality and, on the other hand, soil fatigue is eliminated - factors that promote their growth and thus lush sprouting.

Increase and rejuvenate after pruning

Ornamental grasses can easily be propagated by division, although the best time to do this is after pruning. All you need is a spade or a digging fork, with which the root ball is divided as follows:

• Dig up ornamental grasses
• Uncover the root ball with a spade or digging fork
• Separate the root ball with a courageous groundbreaking
• Then plant again immediately
• Use as close to the ground as possible

Learn more about ornamental grasses