As a summer-green ornamental grass, blood grass has lost its furious colors in late autumn. Anyone who hastily grabs the scissors now will look in vain for the flaming horst of grass next year. Read here when and how to properly cut Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron'.
When and how should you cut blood grass?
Bloodgrass should be cut in the spring after the main frost period. Work from the outside in, grasp the stalks in bunches and cut them back to 5 to 10 cm. Cut-resistant gloves are recommended to avoid injuries.
Cutting blood grass in spring
Bloodgrass comes from Japan's green treasure trove, which results in limited winter hardiness. A sunny, warm location is not enough for the magnificent ornamental grass to survive the cold season he althily. By gathering the stalks around the heart of the plant like a bulwark, the bitter cold and winter wetness are kept at bay. Consequently, the time window for pruning opens in spring. On the way there in autumn, tie the dead stalks with a string. This precaution makes an additional contribution to ensuring undamaged wintering.
Cut Grashorst in clumps
After the end of the main frost period, the dead stalks have fulfilled their protective function for the blood grass. Before the green tips of the fresh shoots appear, pruning is part of the care program. How to cut the ornamental grass correctly:
- Cut the blood grass from the outside inwards
- Grip the stalks in bunches with one hand
- Cut back to 5 to 10 cm with the other hand
A perennial sickle (€18.00 on Amazon) is ideal as a cutting tool. With a curved blade, the Asian tool is reminiscent of a traditional small-format scythe. The fact that the blade cuts under tension and not under pressure guarantees greater safety when cutting. Alternatively, cut blood grass with hedge trimmers or secateurs with a bypass mechanism.
Not without gloves
The name blood grass takes on a scary meaning when the gardener underestimates the sharp edges of the stalk. Before you take care of the cut, please put on cut-resistant gloves with long cuffs. Direct skin contact with the razor-sharp edges of the leaves inevitably causes painful wounds.
Cutting blood grass in the bucket
With a maximum height and width of 40 centimeters, blood grass is ideal for cultivation in a bucket. This variant, of course, comes at the expense of winter hardiness. In the limited substrate volume, the root ball is vulnerable to severe frost. For overwintering, blood grass in the pot should be placed in a frost-free winter quarters.
If the Asian gem has to share space with other floral winter guests, it can be pruned back in the fall. Wait until all the leaves are absorbed and dry. Then cut the clump to a hand's width above the substrate. This has the advantage that the reduced leaf mass reduces possible attack areas for winter pests.
Tip
Caring for deciduous grasses leaves behind mountains of clippings. The dead stalks of blood grass, miscanthus or pennisetum are only partially suitable for disposal in the compost heap because the decomposition process is very slow. The shredded or chopped cuttings are useful as mulch in the vegetable or strawberry bed and as bedding in the cage.
