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Panicum virgatum
Common Name: Switch Grass
Overview
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grass |
| Hardiness Zone | ? |
Cultivars
| Cultivar | Height | Spread | Blooms | Sun | Planted |
| Shenandoah | 3-4' | 2-3' | Grown for foliage | Full Sun | Around pond |
Matures in about 3 years.
Begins new growth in late Spring.
Ongoing Management
Fertilization
Spring - Fertilize just before new growth. However, once established, rarely needs additional feeding.
Pruning / Cutting Back
Late Winter / Early Spring - Cut foliage to a few inches above the ground.
One approach for pruning ornamental grasses without making a mess is:
Spring cleanup can be a real mess. It you cut your own ornamental grasses, that's especially true if it's a windy day and you're dealing with taller grasses (e.g., Miscanthus, Panicum) blowing everywhere as they're cut and fall over.
To prevent this, I take a roll of jute twine to the garden on grass-cleanup day, along with my pruners. I cut an appropriate length of twine, fashioning a little lariat before segmenting a clump of grass into halves, thirds, or quarters (depending upon the girth of the plant). I run the twine end around the grass stems and through the loop, pulling it tight to create a lasso and then tying it off about halfway up the height of the plant. I then prune those stems and have a tidy intact sheaf to put to the side.
When I've pruned the entire plant this way, the bundles are ready for the compost pile.
A tool recommendation is
I found that the folding saw is the perfect tool to cut back my ornamental grasses in the fall.
Clump division recommended every few years.
Site Selection & Preparation
Prefers moist sand or clay soil. Will flop overly in rich soil.
More Information
Web Sites
- Dividing Perennials
- Gardenia.net
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