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Maintenance for
Native Grasses
Native grasses require little maintenance when
compared to other plants, yet some care is needed to maintain their ornamental
appearance.
Areas that this
guideline will cover are:
1. Pre-planting treatment
2. Annual pruning
3. Watering requirements
4. Fertilising
5. Herbicide spraying
1.
Pre-planting
treatment
It is
important to give the native grasses the best possible start. Firstly, the area
should be weed free, spray with round-up a few weeks prior to planting. Then
apply pre-emergent herbicide application to control weed seeds from
germination. There are two ways this can be done.
1a.
Warm Season Grasses Only
Ronstar R Plus Starter
Fertiliser (Oxadiazon and Fertiliser). Applied at time of planting.
1b.All
Grasses
Or a product called PRE-M R (Which
is Pendimethalin and Fertiliser) can be applied at the time of planting. This
fertilizer is spread by a fertiliser spreader at a recommended rate and is safe
on cool season and warm season grasses.
NB. Refer to the following sheet for further information.
2.
Annual Pruning
Pruning requirements of native
grasses are separated into 3 categories:
2a.
Warm
season grasses
Warm season grasses e.g. (Pennisetum,
Themeda, Themeda ‘Mingo’ Bothriochloa, Chloris, Cymbopogon, Sorghum.) These are
pruned annually in late Winter by reducing one third of their leaf area. Then
as they become untidy throughout the year, (in most cases they won’t need
further pruning.)
2b.
Cool season grasses
Cool season grasses e.g. Poa, Danthonia,
Stipa, Dichelachne, Chionochloa, Microlaena. These are pruned annually in
early Autumn by reducing one third of their leaf area. Pruning at this time
will also remove spent seed heads.
2c.
Grass like plants
Grass like plants e.g.
(Dianella,
Lomandra, Isolepis, Juncus, Carex). These
plants rarely need pruning, usually once only every 2-3 years, if ever.
3.
Watering
Native
grasses, once established will require little watering. To establish though,
they will require watering for the first month and then supplementary watering
after this during periods of no rain, usually once a week for 2-3 months. Native grasses will respond well to regular
watering if available.
4.
Fertilising
Fertilising
after pruning and or in Spring with slow release osmocote or Dynamic lifter.
PRE-M can also be used to give a 2 fold benefit.
5.
Herbicide
Spraying
Selective
herbicides can be used in native grasses. It is important though NOT to use
anything that contains Dicamba.
M.C.P.A, Bromoxinil (Bin-Die
R) is
ideal. Spray smaller plants at recommended rates in Spring and Autumn. Avoid
spraying in hot weather. Spot spraying with round-up should only be done with a
wick wiper, not a Knapsack. Native grasses are very susceptible to Round-up
spray drift.
Remember, planting for weed control is better than trying to remove
weeds later. It is often impossible to keep weeds out of some types of native
grasses.
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