shears do the trick on small quantities. A weed whacker with a rigid plastic blade
can also be used. I’ve even heard of people using chain saws, but I’ve never
needed such heavy machinery, even for very large grasses. Do wear gloves, as the
grass blades can cut like razors. Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ normally only needs
dead blades pulled from within the clump by hand. After severe winters I have
had to cut ‘Elijah Blue’ fescue back because of excessive tip burn on the blades.
I do most spring pruning early on, before new growth begins, usually some-
time in late March or early April. Gardeners in milder climates may need to get
an earlier start. You don’t want a lot of new growth in the way while you are
trying to clean up the old stems and leaves. If some new growth is hit during
spring cleanup, no harm done—perennials are very forgiving and will be quick
to fill in, but if you cut too late you may be altering the plant’s ultimate height,
and even flowering time on early-blooming species.
Electric hedge shears do
an efficient job of cutting
down ornamental grasses
in the spring.PruninG to PrePare for Winter and PruninG to PrePare for sPrinG 135