When should I cut back ornamental grasses?
Ornamental grasses should generally be cut down to about two inches in early spring before new growth starts, rather than in fall or winter. Trimming too early strips away seasonal winter interest and removes shelter and habitat that beneficial insects and wildlife rely on through the winter.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1leaving the grasses until spring for insect habitat and trimming after the last frostDid this help you?
- 2cutting off the top if viable seeds are a spreading concern while leaving the rest until springDid this help you?
- 3Waiting until spring to shear or mow the plants to 2-3 inches before new growth starts.Did this help you?
- 4Leaving the plants alone and accepting the browning as a normal seasonal pattern.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“When should I trim these grasses back? Late fall? Dead of winter? Wait until early spring?”source ↗
“They are healthy and green at the base, but the ends are brown.”source ↗
“I have also read that you can trim/mow back to 2”. Does any have experience with this? If so, do I do this in the fall or spring?”source ↗
“Now they're browning beginning at the tips.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 7When should I stop watering my lawn for winter?
- 21When is it safe to mow newly seeded grass?
- 12What order should I do lawn care tasks like aeration and seeding?
- 13Does timing lawn aeration by a week or two actually matter?
- 2When is it time for a baby's first haircut?
- 8Do I need to check my lawn for debris before mowing?