Keeping Evergreen Grasses Looking Great!

Keeping Evergreen Grasses Looking Great!
Ornamental grasses are a key part of our waterwise gardens providing year-round interest with their beautiful foliage and attractive flower spikes. Two of the most popular evergreen grasses for northern New Mexico species include Silky Threadgrass (Nassella tenuissima) and Blue Avena grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens). These grasses hold their foliage year-round and don't die back to the ground each winter. Severe cutting back of evergreen grasses ruins their shape and it takes months before they have a chance to grow back later in the summer. It's much more desirable to "comb out" the dead grass blades with gloved hands and cut off winter killed tips. Watch this video to see how this is done.

[@Kenny-vv2qo]

Thank you for posting this. I love feather grass and planted a few in my front yard. Started to notice its gotten too heavy and falling down. Wasn't sure how to prune it and get rid of the dead ends. This was a very helpful video.

[@aquietmind223]

Awesome tips thank you.

[@CyndyPayne-q9v]

Thank you for the video.
I live in San Diego, CA, what time of year should I do this? How often?

[@tejalshah341]

Thanks for the video. At what time of year should you cut tenusimma stipa grasses back like this?

[@tejalshah341]

Hi! What month do you do this? My tenussima stipa is looking quite dead (we are in London UK), should I try cutting it back more hard to see if it comes back or is it just not waking up yet?

[@chrisjefferson264]

I just cut them 2 inches from the ground and I get crazy growth

[@bogbrither]

Does this attract ticks?

[@martyna402]

Hi, How would you trim the blue fescue grass? In a similar way?

[@waterwisegardeningllc79]

Yes, comb it out and trim off any dead tips.

[@hugocervantes26]

Type of plant?

[@waterwisegardeningllc79]

This plant is Nassella tenuissima , the common name is Mexican Feather Grass.

[@lisah6076]

I would only have one. Looks like too much work. The clean up.

[@aaronpage1822]

Isn’t it easier and better for the grass to just be cut back?

[@waterwisegardeningllc79]

Yes, it would be easier but with this particular grass, Silky thread grass, it's necessary to comb out the old spikes. I f you just cut Mexican feather grass, the new growth comes out of a flat surface and it looks really strange. If you have this particular grass, it's worth the extra effort.

[@Riverdale270]

Dude you gotta be crazy... if you have 4 ok, but ive got like 50