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Old 19-06-2012, 10:42 PM posted to rec.gardens
Kay Lancaster Kay Lancaster is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 481
Default Ornamental grass advice!

On Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:33:37 +0000, KatyE wrote:

Hello,

My new calamagrostis plants have been damaged by the high winds - most
of the leaves are bent and the plants are looking very sorry for
themselves. If I cut them down to the ground will they re-grow at this
time of year?


Because they're newly planted, I'd leave them alone this year. If you have
to do the neat and tidy garden thing, put some bamboo stakes around and make
a little cage with string to get the leaves off the ground.

Right now, they need all the photosynthetic area they can get.

There have been some studies with perennial plants... leaving old "dead" leaves
on the plant is actually beneficial for many species -- they serve as a
nutrient reservoir for the plant, even though they look "bad". The usual
garden cleanup may actually be detrimental.

Kay