How to Get Rid of Oriental Grasses

Oriental grass has the botanical name of Pennisetum orientale. It is a tall ornamental grass that looks similar to fountain grass and even has the common name of oriental fountain grass. Although some growers prize the plant for the pink, bushy blooms that appear in the summer, they also spread with little effort and become a nuisance. Killing an unwanted oriental grass clump requires repeated applications of a strong herbicide solution and cutting.

Pruning shears
Shovel
Glyphosate-based herbicide
Garden sprayer
Paintbrush (optional)
Bucket (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut back as much of the oriental grass clump as possible using pruning shears. Wait until the late fall or early summer to do this, however. Cut the grass blades down to 1 or 2 inches above the ground and gather the clipped portions up and discard them in a compost pile.
- 2
  Fill a hand-held garden sprayer with a nonselective herbicide solution that contains glyphosate. Refer to the package instructions for the proper amount. If so instructed, dilute the mixture with the appropriate amount of water.
- 3
  Close the sprayer and gently shake it to combine the herbicide mixture thoroughly.
- 4
  Point the nozzle of the sprayer at the remaining base portion of the oriental grass and saturate the stems thoroughly with the herbicide mixture.
- 5
  Examine the oriental grass stub after 10 to 14 days and retreat it if any green portions remain visible. The herbicide mixture requires up to two weeks to kill the grass.

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