How to Prune Wild Grass

Wild grasses, also known as ornamental grasses, are native plants that grow in clumps and can reach up to 3 feet tall. These grasses are used in gardens or landscapes, and can be found in untended lawn areas. Wild grasses can develop a skirt of dead or spend stems, and all the stems can brown during winter. Annual pruning prevents these clumps from becoming an eyesore in your landscape.

Garden shears
Twine
Rake

Instructions

- 1
  Cut back flower stalks as they begin to fade or dry out. The time of year this occurs varies with the species of wild grass. Cut the stalks to the ground.
- 2
  Gather up the tall, healthy, green stems in the center of the clump and wrap them in a piece of twine to keep them upright. Pull out any brown stems that you gathered. The brown, withered stems around the base are called the clump skirt.
- 3
  Cut back the stems of the clump skirt in the fall to 1 to 3 inches above the soil. Rake up the fallen stems and compost them or throw them away. Remove the twine.
- 4
  Tie the whole clump together in the upright position, again using the twine, in late winter or early spring when the clump is brown and dead. Cut the stems back to 1 to 3 inches above the ground. You should be able to grab the twine and lift away the entire clump of dead stems. The wild grasses begin growing again in late spring or summer.

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