Lawns are cut regularly to encourage side shoots, prevent flowers and seeds and to keep the grass tidy. Some attention should also be given to other grasses to encourage production of fresher growth at the beginning of the growing season and to control flowering.
Pruning Bamboo
- All bamboos look better when scruffy, broken or damaged shoots are removed. Weak side shoots and branches often look unattractive.
- Thin dense thickets to create space for the flexing stems of new shoots. Cut out old canes with loppers or a pruning saw close to the ground.
- Thin out other shoots to create a balanced, airy clump.
- Prune above a node to prevent die back
- For more growth from dwarf bamboos cut down to soil level in early spring and treat like a hardy perennial to get fresh clean foliage.
- Some bamboos are invasive and the tough, springy roots need to be removed or root pruned annually. Plant a barrier at least 18 inches deep around invasive types.
- Bamboo can be turned into Topiary as the leaves grow more abundantly after pruning and the culm won’t grow
- Bamboos need to be replaced every 10-15 years
Cutting Ornamental Grass
- Evergreen grasses should have leaves and seed heads tidied up whenever the start to look unkempt
- Damaged stems should be cut off regularly
- If you want to avoid too many self sown seedlings cut off flower heads before they mature or you will be hoeing out all unwanted plants
- Cut young foliage and flowers for drying well before they are in full bloom
- Cortaderia or Pampas grass has sharp edges so take care when pulling out old leaves. Cut out flowerheads as low as possible. If still cluttered cut out some new grass to create space.
- Grasses that aren’t evergreen should be cutback hard in early spring before new shhots start
- On tussock forming grass remove the lower leaves that are close to the soil and may harbour diseases
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