October Fireworks

Images: Yesterday's picture is Maiden Grass "Huron Sunrise". On this page is the extremely tall Big Bluestem "Vitman" (a native American prairie grass), the short but very red Japanese Blood Grass "Red Baron", and the interesting striped leaf Zebra Grass.



Some grasses bloom or have seed heads earlier in the year. This pictured group is at their prettiest in fall and winter. The fall blooming are my favorites.

When shopping for ornamental grasses, it's important to consider several things:

1. When do they have seed/flower heads?
2. What time of the year is the color the most showy?
3. Do they need to be cut down and what time of year?
4. Do they flop over in the fall and winter?
5. How do they spread - are they invasive?
6. Will they need to be burned off?
7. How tall are they at different times of the year?
8. Dry or moist soil?
9. Sun to shade or in between?
10. How much work do I want to do to maintain the grass at its optimum level?

Let's walk through some helpful hints in each of the ten.

1. Summer seed heads accent the perennial garden as if it was another flowering plant. Fall and winter seed heads will add dimension to otherwise stark beds.


2. In the spring there is very little outstanding color as all grasses push up. In summer, the color will be pretty much the color you see when you buy the plant. In the fall, the colors may stay the same or could change to bright fall shades. Variations in color (such as the Zebra Grass) add interest the entire growing season.


3. Most ornamental grasses need to be cut down in early spring. This allows the texture and seed heads to be at their showiest during winter. It also hold leaves and snow which insulates the roots. Some larger grass blades turn very sharp when dry and could be a hazard in high traffic areas.


4. If they flop, make sure they are not planted where they will cover other valuable perennials, sidewalks, drives and heavy traffic areas.


5. Most ornamental grasses spread, some are highly invasive (Blue Dune Grass), others multiply at a very slow rate. Make sure you know this characteristic before you plant. The larger grasses are very difficult to divide and transplant so make sure you have them in a permanent place the first time.


6. Native prairie grasses were originally burned off by natural fires. This allowed the killing of unwanted plants, split seed heads and renewed the earth to better service the grass. Most of us don't live in areas where this will be practicable. If an ornamental grass must be burned, make sure you can plant it where this is a possibility.


7. The Big Bluestem will be over 8 ft. tall in the fall and winter. It isn't something that you'd want in front of a window or constantly smacking against the house in winter winds. You also don't want a grass that will hide other flowering plants.


8. Any grass that was a prairie grass will do great in our soil. There are certain grasses that do well along side ponds and rivers, others on dry hillsides. True Pompus Grass does not do well in our Zone 5 even if it advertised hardy.


9. Most ornamental grasses need full sun to be their most hardy. A few are for partial sun and only one in mostly shade. Most of our prairies were full sun.


10. Ornamental grasses really take little work if (IF) they are planted in optimal spots. If you must constantly trim, divide, and stake then you have planted in the wrong spot. The worst job is cutting them down in the spring. On grasses like the Big Bluestem it takes heavy sharp branch cutters and long thick gloves. Smaller plants may be cut down with a weed eater, lawn mower or shears.

A word of warning, bamboo is not an ornamental grass, it's highly invasive and almost impossible to kill or contain.

The seed heads or flowers make beautiful fall bouquets and decorations. Mice find them a taste treat. If you battle mice, you might want to discard prior to Christmas decorating.

Ornamental grasses are one of the "bones" of any good garden (large or small).

There are annual ornamental grasses that make nice fillers in your gardens and pots. They are not cheap and you may want to try over-wintering in the basement or other area that doesn't freeze. Success rate is not excellent but then again, you may succeed and save yourself some money.