Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Control Pampas Grass
How to Control Pampas Grass. Pampas grass is a beautiful ornamental that comes back every year a little thicker and healthier if taken care of properly. Its tall fronds sway in the breeze, drawing your eyes to its tall dramatic plumes. It is a great focal point to any garden if there is enough room, or you can use it as a summer hedge along...
Pampas grass is a beautiful ornamental that comes back every year a little thicker and healthier if taken care of properly. Its tall fronds sway in the breeze, drawing your eyes to its tall dramatic plumes. It is a great focal point to any garden if there is enough room, or you can use it as a summer hedge along property lines.
Give it a haircut. It can get a little weak in the base if the dead growth is allowed to sit and collect decaying matter. There are a few ways to get around this, one of which is torching it. However, not all communities will allow open fire, so consider other options. When winter has arrived and growing has slowed down or stopped, get out your weed whacker and cut it down to about 12 inches from the ground. Be careful; wear gloves and eye protection, as the edges of the grass are quite sharp and can cut you easily.
Break up the mass of roots. The new shoots tend to grow from the outside edge, leaving the dry inner core to collect debris. After you have given it a haircut but before spring growth starts, use a pitchfork to pull off a section from the outside ring. It may take a bit of work and some sharp shears or a saw to cut through the mass. Replant the new section far enough away from other plants to allow for its rapid growth.
Rake out any leaves or other branches that have blown into the stems after you have cut them back. Use a metal garden rake as a plastic one will probably just get stuck and a bamboo one might just break with the tough stems.
Do not fertilize it or water it. This dessert plant needs almost no care. Some people even have a hard time getting it out of their yard once it is established. Plant it to the back of your landscaping bed so that it does not shade your other plants.
In the event that you need to remove it totally from your garden, the easiest way is to spray it with an herbicide such as Roundup® while it is still growing. It will take a little time but it should work quite thoroughly.
Tips & Warnings
Try planting different varieties for a nice focal variation.
