5 tips for overwintering grasses

Editor's note: this post originally appeared on North Carolina wholesale grower Hoffman Nursery's blog. It is used here by permission.

Why overwinter grasses? By overwintering cool-season grasses, you’ll be ready for early-spring customers. You can get a head start on finishing warm-season grasses when they are overwintered in a cold frame or hot house. Annual grasses overwintered in a hot house allow you to have full plants with good color at the earliest possible time.

Tip #1

Keep containerized grasses on the dry side. During winter, warm-season grasses go dormant, and cool-season plants slow their growth, so their water needs are minimal. Grasses are susceptible to rotting and root damage if overwatered.

Tip #2

Cool-season grasses work well in a cold frame or in a house kept just above freezing.

Tip #3

Do you have a hot house? If so, get a head start with annual grasses. The colorful, tender Pennisetum selections are in demand early in the season—perfect for decorative containers and annual color beds.

Tip #4

If you overwinter outside, you may need to cover outdoor containers during rainfall or severe cold to prevent rot or damage. Panicum species and cultivars can do well outside of a cold frame with some monitoring.

Tip #5

The majority of grasses, including the popular Calamagrostis, Chasmanthium, Miscanthus, Muhlenbergia, and Schizachyrium overwinter best in a cold frame.

Cold frames protect uninsulated roots in above-ground containers and prevent rain from oversoaking plants.

For more growing help, see our Container Production page. For a broader look at all aspects of grasses and sedges, visit our Learn section. Happy successful winter growing!

All photos courtesy Hoffman Nursery.