Ornamental grass – Dig and divide

Q: I usually cut back my large ornamental grasses that grow with the big plumes in January. Can you dig them up and divide them at this time?

A: All of the ornamental grasses (maidengrass, pampas grass, muhley grass, etc) should be pruned low in mid-winter, before new growth begins. Removing the old stems allows you to clean out debris in the middle. Otherwise the center of the clump will decline. After the January whack-back, wait until new green stems appear in April to dig sections from the edge of the clump. These can be transplanted anywhere you wish.