Mondo grass – Planting

Q: We need advice on using dwarf mondo grass in our shady back yard instead of fescue. How far apart should mondo grass be planted ?

A: As fate would have it, I’ve been helping a friend plant sprigs of mondo grass to give a lawn-like appearance to a shady area. There are already several patches of mondo grass growing in their landscape. I use a flat-bladed shovel to go under a clump of mondo to lift the plants and roots intact. I pull apart the individual plants and put them on a small piece of plywood, which I position near my planting area. I use a short metal hoe to chop a divot in the soil, into which goes a sprig of mondo grass. The sprigs are planted six inches apart. Every once in a while I stand up to ease my aching back! If you aren’t lucky enough to have a patch of mondo grass, ask friends and neighbors if you can harvest theirs.