How to Propagate Pampas Grass
How to Propagate Pampas Grass. Pampas grass is a large ornamental grass that flowers late in the year with beautiful plumes. It has its origins in the plains of South America, which are known as the pampas. Propagating pampas grass presents some special challenges. Don't plant it too near the home or other buildings, or you'll have to cut it back...
Pampas grass is a large ornamental grass that flowers late in the year with beautiful plumes. It has its origins in the plains of South America, which are known as the pampas. Propagating pampas grass presents some special challenges. Don't plant it too near the home or other buildings, or you'll have to cut it back before it reaches its full magnificent height. Don't plant it in areas with passersby, because it is sharp enough to cut people who handle or brush against it. Pampas grass can also be very invasive under dry and sunny conditions. It is suitable for growing in mild climates, and is hardy to Zone 8 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture scale. If you're ready for the challenges and want to enjoy its grand size and blooms, learn how to propagate pampas grass in your landscape.
Things You'll Need
Sharp pruning knife
Hand tiller
Compost
Rake
Propagate pampas grasses by division for the best results. Plan your division for the late fall or early winter, so that the grass is dormant.
Dig down deep enough to expose plenty of the roots. Use a sharp blade and cut away an entire section of the existing pampas grass plant that has at least three stems. Varieties of pampas grass range from 3 feet to 12 feet tall, so be sure you know what you are getting when you plant it.
Select an area for planting that receives plenty of sunlight and fresh air, and has soil that is well drained. Add some sand and light compost to soil that is heavy in clay content, or if your soil is sandy and dry, add plenty of heavy organic compost to it.
Till the amendments into the soil well. Rake the soil level, and plant the division at the same level at which it was growing previously.
Water the soil around the division deeply immediately after planting. The hardy and drought-resistant pampas grass probably will not need further attention unless your area has remarkably prolonged dry conditions.
Check out these related posts