Trusted Watering, Sprinkler & Drip Irrigation System Contractors in Parsippany-troy Hills, NJ

Do I Cut Back My Ornamental Grass Before Winter? This debate has gone on for decades. But at Big Heart Landscaping we suggest cutting them in late fall. Some ornamental grasses will remain attractive if left standing throughout the better part of the winter. They may even provide food for the birds. However, they may also provide shelter for mice, rats, voles, etc. which often carry ticks. If you do choose to leave your ornamental grasses standing, you will want to cut them back by early spring, before the new growth begins to grow into the old blades & makes it impossible not to cut back both. The fuller & more beautiful an ornamental grass is, the messier it is when cut down. To lessen the mess of long grass blades spilling throughout your garden, use this quick & easy technique for cutting back ornamental grasses. Wrap tape around the circumference of the grass. Any wide tape will do. A strong masking tape is preferable if you plan to compost the grass. Depending on the width & height of the ornamental grass, you may need to wrap tape in 2-3 positions along the height of the grass & possibly divide the grass blades into 2-3 bundles. Now that your ornamental grasses are neatly bundled, use an electric or gas trimmer to cut 12”-16” high, from the base, for larger grasses, & 6” for smaller grasses. Because the tape is holding the grass blades in place, you can lean the ornamental grass bundle away from the base as you cut, to make cutting easier.