Grasses - Split and move

paul.fieldwilliams

Happy New Year all. Quick question re ornamental grasses. I have 2 or 3 in the garden that have established over the last 3 or 4 years. I would like to move them but also split one of them to propagate. When is the best time to move them and is ok to split them?

Obelixx

Spring, just as new shoots start to show.  Works for me with miscanthus, molinia and carex types and, in my experience, they sulk and even die if done in autumn or too early in spring. 

Never got a stipa or a pennisetum to survive a winter in my last garden so haven't tried them here either. 

Pete.8

As Obelixx says it is important to wait for growth to start.
I had many failures when I tried to divide or move grasses before they were growing well.
I now wait until the new growth is 3-4" then split or move them and no failures so far..

Hostafan1

Obelixx said:

Spring, just as new shoots start to show.  Works for me with miscanthus, molinia and carex types and, in my experience, they sulk and even die if done in autumn or too early in spring. 

Ditto

paul.fieldwilliams

Thanks all. I will leave it for a month or two before the move.