Well Fall approaches, and I'd like to trim back a pair (well, it once was a pair, now it's one hugh clump) of ornamental grass behind my pond. They started out as 1' diameter clumps of grass, 6' tall, - now it's one clump averaging about 6' around. I would like to cut out sections and plant 8-10 individual clumps in different places.
Is it simply a matter of using a spade and x-planting? Should I do this now, as Fall begins or wait until spring?
TIA!
All you need is a strong back and a weak mind . Huge clumps of grasses can be a lot of work to dig out and split--forget about teasing the roots apart, just use a knife or machete to cut it into chunks once you muscle it out. Don't know where you live, but around here it's best to wait until spring, when the clumps are just waking up. The dead leaves provide winter protection, and grasses don't establish well in the fall.
cheers, Sue
I've seen this done using two garden forks, back-to-back, to split the plant apart, after removing it from the ground. The best time to divide the plant depends on your location and conditions.
Most ornamental grasses are going to be axe and hatchet jobs as the mass of rhizomes can be quite tough, sometimes you can drive a machete through the clump with a hammer once you have pried it from the ground. The two fork method is better suited for daylily and easy to seperate plants otherwise you will be buying replacements.
If you get enough winter to need snow tires do your divisions in early spring. There are still 2 months of good weather before the soil cools where I am (CT Zone 6) and you could still get away with dividing now, it's just not optimum.
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