When to cut back pampas grass — gardening pros share the best time to start cutting to give the plant a second lease of life

If you have pampas grass in your garden, you'll want to know when to cut back pampas grass so you can enjoy this feather-like plant all year long.

Just like the other plants to cut back in winter, cutting back pampas grass encourages new growth and effectively gives the plant a second lease of life. Gardening experts have revealed that the best time to start cutting is from late winter to early spring, meaning the time is ripe to grab your secateurs and start trimming.

The ideal time to cut back pampas grass is late winter to early spring. 'Cutting back in March or early April will mean that the new foliage on the plant has a chance to receive more light after older plant material is removed,' Graham Smith MCIHort, gardening expert at LBS Horticulture explains. 'New foliage will also not have grown enough to be in the way when you are removing the older stems.'

Experts say you can actually start cutting pampas grass back from as early as February, to ensure you're cutting before new growth begins.

'Cutting back in February helps remove dead foliage, encourages healthy new shoots, and prevents it from becoming overgrown,' Morris Hankinson, founder and director of Hopes Groves Nurseries says. 'Some gardeners also cut it back in autumn, but this can leave new growth vulnerable to frost damage.'

Aside from encouraging new growth, cutting back pampas grass can also prevent the plant from over-running your garden. As much as we love pampas grass as one of our favourite sensory garden plants, it does have a tendency to grow quite large, which cutting back can help with.

Tips for cutting back pampas grass

To give your pampas grass a second lease of life, the experts have shared a couple of handy tips to implement when cutting.

'Before cutting back pampas grass, you should use a long stick or pole to rummage around the base of the plant, as small animals sometimes nest in the foliage of the grass over winter,' Graham advises. 'Cut through the leaves of the grass near the base of the plant, aiming to leave foliage behind that is around 15cm to 20cm tall.'

You'll need a pair of sharp secateurs or shears to cut back pampas grass. Secateurs will offer a more precise cut, but shears might be the better option if you've got a plentiful supply of pampas grass, as you'll be able to cut multiple stems at once without crouching as low.

After cutting, you can add a fertiliser around the plant, to encourage new growth.

What you'll need for cutting back pampas grass

FAQs

Can you cut pampas grass down to the ground?

'If you want to reduce the size of the crown of the pampas grass, then you will need to cut the grass down to the base close to the ground,' gardening expert Graham advises.

'However, when removing spreading clumps from the ground you may need to use an axe or a saw to sever these clumps from the main clump.'

Is it illegal to cut pampas grass in the UK?

It's only illegal to cut pampas grass in the UK if you don't have permission from whoever owns the land or the plant you're cutting. If it's in your garden, it's perfectly legal. Pampas grass on private land is a no-go and it's best to err on the side of caution in publicly-owned spaces, as it may have been planted there for aesthetic value.

'For pampas grass in the wild, you would need the landowner's permission to remove or take cuttings,' Joe Aldworth, gardening expert at Old Railway Line Garden Centre says. 'This is particularly important in costal areas, where it might have been planted for conservation reasons.'

So start trimming and get ready for your pampas grass to look better than ever.