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Miscanthus losing clumps?

Hello all, I was helping out tidying up a neighbour's grasses today (it looked like Miscanthus, is evergreen and the 'flowers' are very light and see-through and about 5ft tall.  We found that as we pulled the dead leaves out in some parts whole clumps of new and old leaves came away (no roots attached).  The plant is about 7 yrs old but otherwise looks healthy. Are grasses short-lived?  Or is there another cause? Many thanks, jandh.

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  • biofreakbiofreak Posts: 1,089

    Not sure this is Miscanthus, because mine has died back as usual and the straw like clumps left in place for creepy crawlies to hide under for the rest of the Winter. Anyone else know what this might be??

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Sorry for my ignorance.  I'm not good on grasses.  It looks like a miniature pampas grass but the flowery bits aren't as dense as pampas, the grass mounds are only 2ft high and the flower spikes are about 5ft with stems the width of pencils if that helpsimage The leaves were dead at ground level so we pulled some out to tidy it up and mostly that was fine but in one or two bits a clump came away from the main growing point as if it had rotted in the ground but as I say it looks healthy.

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Perhaps it came away so easily because the ground is so wet then.  We didn't finish the grasses so if he asks again I'll suggest we wait until the ground is drier perhaps and hope the plant is ok.  It's a beautiful plant, it would be a shame to lose it just because of a wet winter.  Thanks bio and Verdun.

  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Thanks Verdun.  I don't have any grasses and am not that keen on them (I can see they have a use in the right place but in my tiny, tiny garden I have to love everything!).

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    Silly question perhaps. Have you had a bit of poke around where they were? Maybe the crown is a little deeper than you expected it to be?

    I find Miscanthus clumps come away pretty clean when I remove them at this time of year, but always re-grow.

    Devon.
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    No Hosta, there was just soil beneath the clump.  I should have taken a photo. It was as if a piece had just rotted and fell away, new and old leaves attached above, no roots below.  I'm just hoping they aren't going to lose it to wet weather.  Maybe, as I said before, it was just a bit vulnerable as it was so wet today and raining at the same time.  Time will tell I think.image

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    I've got some M. Karl Foerster and M. Transparent in my polytunnel. If you're near N. Devon, pop round and have one.

    Devon.
  • turmericturmeric Posts: 830

    Oh Hosta what a lovely offer.  Sorry it took me so long to reply, I've been working all day.  I'm not near North Devon but I'm chuffed to pieces that you offered - thank you. Aren't gardeners lovely peopleimage

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