Try again Stipa

I posted twice the same question and im not sure where its gone. So i will ask again. Would you recommend cutting back Stipa grass in spring in order to encourage new growth.

Late autumn, when they die, is the usual time to cut grasses back.  If you do it in spring, you risk snipping off the tips of the new growth.  Unlike most plants, grasses grow from the base rather than the tips, so if you damage the tips, they will die-back a little and will have green shoots with brown tips which would look a bit of a mess for the rest of the season.

Cia wrote (see)

Would you recommend cutting back Stipa grass in spring in order to encourage new growth.

I doubt whether cutting grasses down in Spring would actually stimulate growth, in the same kind of way that pruning stimulates roses.

Personally I prefer to leave grasses untouched through the Winter. They can look very attractive when frosted. That's part of the appeal of growing grasses, to add all-year-interest to a garden. They can also help to provide a habitat for insects.

Givng the plants a haircut, removing the dead material in early Spring, will help to give the plant a lighter and more fluffy appearance when it grows. A helping of general fertiliser, applied in Spring, will also help.

Cia-both of you questions are still there posted at 19.12 and19.15 yesterday if you look down the list-currently page 2

In feb, I usually tease out all the dead stuff, Cut the flowering stems down low. I never cut this grass back.  I used to have to do it for a customer and it always looked a mess.

Thank you for all your responses. I will leave them as they are - i like the sound of giving insects a habitat for the wintering months.

When i posted this question - i could see it - but when i clicked on - nothing showed up so i wrote it again. Probably just a forum bleep.

Thanks again guys.

Ive just responded to this thread and cant see my reply when i click on it. I see it in "newest conversations"  Whats going on? Soon as i reply and re read the thread back i see everyone elses post but not mine anywhere.

Ive just changed to Mozilla/firefox and am wondering it has messed with my original settings. MMM lost somewhat.

Thanks will into it.

Brilliant im back on - thanks figrat.

How could i ignore myself? 

Oh i see - i will have to watch out for that again.

As for the Stipa - i had one, now i have four - they sself seed so to speak.

I also have a Briza media - its a rare one to find - i bought it at Wisley earlier this year. Now theirs a garden centre if you ever get bored.