Garden Q&A: Should I cut back miscanthus and stipa in spring?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

I have some miscanthus and pheasant's tail grass growing in my garden. Can I cut either or both back now?

ANSWER

Yes, both of these can be cut back over the next few weeks. 

Miscanthus is herbaceous, meaning that the plant itself takes for underground during the winter and what is left above the ground is actually dead material. 

It's good to leave this dead growth to remain during the winter months as it not only creates a beautiful winter look, but the seed heads also provide food for many smaller birds such as finches. 

Miscanthus can be cut back to ground level now before the new growth emerges. 

Pheasant's tail grass, Anemanthele lessoniana, also known as Stipa arundinacea, is an evergreen grass, but after a few seasons, there can be so much dead and untidy growth within the clump that it will benefit from a haircut. 

Grab the whole clump together and cut back to about 25cm from the ground so that the new growth will emerge without the distraction of previous years' dead leaves.

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