Ornamental grasses can add a beautiful touch to any garden or landscape, but what do you do when they start to take over or outgrow their space?
Uprooting them can be a daunting task, especially if they have established root systems. However, with the right tools and techniques, you can successfully remove ornamental grass from your yard.
In this article, we’ll explore different methods for uprooting ornamental grass and provide tips for dividing and transplanting it. Whether you’re looking to make room for new plants or simply want to control the spread of your existing ones, we’ve got you covered.
So, let’s get started!
How To Uproot Ornamental Grass
The first step in uprooting ornamental grass is to cut it down to about 2 inches above the ground. This will allow you to clearly see the plant’s spread and make it easier to work with.
If the spread is particularly large, use a sharp shovel to divide the grass into several sections. Breaking it down like this enables you to remove a section at a time. Once you can clearly see the plant, force a shovel into the ground beneath it. Make sure that the shovel is completely underneath the plant’s root system. Then pull the shovel up, scooping out the grass. This technique allows you to take up ornamental grass in large clumps.
If you find that the ornamental grass is hard to dig up, try drenching the roots with water. This softens the roots, and the surrounding ground, making it easier to manipulate and dig up the root system.
Dispose of invasive ornamental grasses in accordance with local laws. If the ornamental grass is not considered invasive then you can dispose of it in your green or garden waste or in your compost pile.
Regardless of how well you think you’ve removed the root system, ornamental grass can be incredibly stubborn. Don’t be surprised if, the following spring, new shoots emerge. While this is frustrating, it does give you an indication of where the roots you missed the first time are. Simply dig out the roots as above.
Assessing The Situation: When Is It Time To Uproot Ornamental Grass?
Before uprooting ornamental grass, it’s important to assess the situation and determine whether it’s necessary to do so. As a general rule, most ornamental grasses benefit from being divided every three to four years to keep them healthy and vigorous. However, the exact timing of uprooting depends on the type of grass and where you live.
Warm-season and cool-season grasses have different growth schedules, so it’s important to distinguish between the two. As a general guideline, the best time to uproot ornamental grass is just before the grass begins its period of active growth. Late winter to early spring is the ideal time for most grasses, as they are still dormant at this point.
If you notice that your ornamental grass has outgrown its space or is struggling to thrive, it may be time to uproot it. Signs of an overgrown or unhealthy ornamental grass include spotty growth, weak or flimsy stems, and die-backs in the center of the clumps.
Another factor to consider when assessing whether to uproot ornamental grass is whether it is an invasive species. Invasive species like fountain grass can displace native plant communities and disrupt ecological systems and processes. If you have an invasive species of ornamental grass in your garden, it’s important to remove it in accordance with local laws.
Tools You’ll Need For Uprooting Ornamental Grass
To uproot ornamental grass, you will need a few tools to make the process easier. Firstly, you will need a sharp spade or shovel to dig around the plant’s root system. A pick or mattock can also come in handy for larger and older plants.
If the ornamental grass has a wide spread, using hedge trimmers or shears can help you cut it down closer to the ground. You may also want to use an electric or gas hedge trimmer if you have many ornamental grasses in your garden.
Gardening gloves and goggles are essential to protect your hands and eyes from any debris or dirt while working with the grass. Additionally, a bungee cord can be used to hold the grass together while cutting it with a hedge trimmer.
If you plan on dividing the grass into several sections, a gardening knife, saw, or regular tool saw can be used to cut through the root ball. Lastly, herbicides containing glyphosate can be an effective way to remove ornamental grasses and other problem plants.
Method 1: Digging Up Ornamental Grass By Hand
Digging up ornamental grass by hand can be a challenging process, but it is a great option if you don’t want to use chemicals or if the grass is too large to use other methods. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
1. Cut the ornamental grass down to about 2 inches above the ground. This will allow you to see the plant’s spread clearly and make it easier to work with.
2. Use a sharp shovel to divide the grass into several sections if the spread is particularly large. Breaking it down like this enables you to remove a section at a time.
3. Force a shovel into the ground beneath the plant, making sure that the shovel is completely underneath the plant’s root system.
4. Pull the shovel up, scooping out the grass. This technique allows you to take up ornamental grass in large clumps.
5. If you find that the ornamental grass is hard to dig up, try drenching the roots with water. This softens the roots and makes it easier to manipulate and dig up the root system.
6. Dispose of invasive ornamental grasses in accordance with local laws. If the ornamental grass is not considered invasive, then you can dispose of it in your green or garden waste or in your compost pile.
7. Regardless of how well you think you’ve removed the root system, ornamental grass can be incredibly stubborn. Don’t be surprised if new shoots emerge in the following spring. While this is frustrating, it does give you an indication of where the roots you missed are. Simply dig out the roots as above.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully uproot ornamental grass by hand. Remember that this process can be time-consuming and physically demanding, so make sure to take breaks and stay hydrated while working.
Method 2: Using A Garden Fork To Uproot Ornamental Grass
Another method to uproot ornamental grass is by using a garden fork. There are different types of garden forks, but the one you need for this task is a digging fork. This type of fork has four to six flat tines with no curvatures, and it’s designed for digging into compacted, clay, or rocky soil.
To start, cut any tall ornamental grass down to within 2 to 4 inches of ground level with pruning shears or scissors. Place any cuttings carrying seed into a lawn bag immediately to prohibit the additional spread of seeds, and dispose of the cuttings.
Next, push your digging fork into the soil in a circle around the ornamental grass. Begin about 12 to 18 inches out from the outer edge of the plant. Step on the fork with your foot and rock the handle back and forth to loosen the root ball. Go around the circle again, driving the fork deeper into the soil and rocking it back and forth to further loosen the root ball.
Push the fork into the same circle a third time, angling it so that its tines cut the soil under the root ball of the ornamental grass. As you rock the handle back and forth, the plant should start to rock. This is a sign that the roots are loosened enough to remove the plant.
Once you feel that you’ve loosened enough soil around the root ball, use your hands to gently pull out the ornamental grass. If it’s still difficult to remove, try using a shovel or spade to further loosen the soil around the roots.
Dispose of invasive ornamental grasses in accordance with local laws. If the ornamental grass is not considered invasive, you can dispose of it in your green or garden waste or in your compost pile.
Remember that regardless of which method you use to uproot ornamental grass, it can be very stubborn and may regrow in the following spring. Keep an eye out for new shoots, and if they emerge, simply dig out the roots as described above. With patience and persistence, you can successfully uproot ornamental grass from your garden or landscape.
Method 3: Killing Ornamental Grass With Herbicides
Another effective way to uproot ornamental grass is by using herbicides. Glyphosate is a popular herbicide that can be used to remove ornamental grasses, grassy weeds, and other problematic plants. It is a non-selective herbicide, which means it will harm or kill any plant it comes into contact with. Therefore, it’s essential to be careful while applying it to the ornamental grass only.
To begin with, mix the herbicide according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, spray the mixture directly on the ornamental grass, ensuring that you saturate the entire portion above ground so that the mixture soaks into the root ball and kills it. If necessary, you can remove the lid of the spray bottle and pour the liquid onto the ornamental grass.
It’s important to note that herbicides that contain glyphosate leave little soil residue, making it easier to plant new plants in the area once you have removed the ornamental grass. However, you should wait until the end of its growing season or right before the grass begins to sprout for total removal of an ornamental grass from a spot.
If you have only small ornamental grass plants in your yard, trim them down and apply a strong herbicide to kill them. You may also want to spray the ground if you dug out a larger variety to discourage any missed shoots from growing back.
While using herbicides can be effective in removing ornamental grasses, it’s crucial to follow safety precautions while handling them. Always wear protective gear like gloves, goggles, and a mask while applying herbicides. Additionally, dispose of any unused herbicide or containers in accordance with local laws.
Dividing And Transplanting Ornamental Grass
Dividing and transplanting ornamental grass is a great way to increase your supply of these hardy plants. The best time to transplant ornamental grass is in spring or early summer when the plant is coming out of its dormant phase. Warm-season grasses should be divided in spring when they begin their growing season.
For smaller grasses, it is similar to dividing a perennial. Dig up the grass and use your hands, pruning shears, a knife, or a sharp shovel or trowel to cut or pull the clump into several pieces. Make sure that each piece has some healthy roots and replant them before the roots dry out. Cover the exposed roots to protect them on sunny days and wear gloves to protect your hands from the sharp grass leaves.
Larger grasses use the same basic principles but can be harder to deal with due to their size and toughness. It may take a strong back, or three, to get some of these very large grasses out of the ground. Dig and/or pry the clump out of the ground and then divide it into pieces, making sure each piece has some roots. You can use an old hand or hack saw, an axe or hatchet, a very sharp shovel, a reciprocating or concrete saw, or a chain saw to divide the plant into pieces.
If your main clump is still looking quite healthy and hasn’t outgrown its space, you can replicate the plant by removing small chunks of the grass from around the outer edge. This may be easier than dividing the entire plant. Once you have the pieces removed from the main clump, trim off any dead material, replant the pieces, and water thoroughly. Newly divided grasses will need frequent watering while they become established. Once they are well rooted, you should be able to decrease or quit watering.
One of the easiest parts of dividing and creating new starts of ornamental grass is the planting process. Simply dig a hole twice the size of the circumference and just below the depth of the transplant. Mix in a bit of compost to the planting hole, water, and cover so that the plant’s crown is slightly below the soil line. As soon as the temperatures begin to warm in late spring, new growth will begin to grow from the crown.
In conclusion, dividing and transplanting ornamental grass is a simple process that can help you increase your supply of these hardy plants. Remember to divide warm-season grasses in spring when they begin their growing season, and to water newly divided grasses frequently while they become established. With a little bit of effort, you can have a landscape full of free plants!
