CUT BACK GRASSES

Grasses can be sensitive to being moved or divided in autumn and winter so it’s best to wait until spring to cut them back. The dead stems and flower heads are also often a ractive in winter, too. But now’s the perfect time to trim the foliage. Timing is especially important with miscanthus. If left too late the new shoots will be growing among the old stems and you can damage new growth if you just cut all the growth off. Do it now and you can cut off the old stems, about 15cm (6in) above ground, and new growth will soon cover this. Other grasses can be cut back too to reveal all the colourful, new growth in spring.