A Grass Undivided Cannot Stand
Of all garden chores, I think that dividing plants may be my least favorite. Even so, there comes a time when it cannot be avoided any longer.
There are two enormous ‘Northwind’ Switchgrass in the Sidewalk Border. Switchgrass rarely needs dividing, but these two have been there for at least ten years.
‘Northwind’ is considered a particularly upright variety of an upright species. However, the last couple of years these particular specimens have become increasingly floppy. Also, it’s hard to tell but I think that they’re becoming a bit open at the center.
The thing is, I’m quite intimidated by the prospect of this operation. These two Switchgrass are probably 3′ across at the base. How the heck am I going to dig them out of the ground?
And once they’re out of the ground, will I need a crosscut saw? An ax? A chainsaw? Dynamite?
Would anyone care to offer any advice or encouragement?
gardeninacity 
Would the company that helped you with your yard be able to take on this task? If so, I highly recommend that approach.
I have zebra grass in my yard and one is currently 11′ tall and 7′ wide – it’s a monster. I know it needs divided and there is no way I can do it myself. The last time was 7 years ago and it took 2 men to do the job and at that time it was only 4′ wide. My son called the hole they dug then an asteroid crater 🙂
There’s no way around it – dividing grasses is an arduous job. A healthy grass is your reward though.
I’m going to call them, since I’m thinking I’ll hire them again to do spring clean up. They could do the dividing at the same time. Though I’d like the dividing done in the fall if possible so the grasses have more time to recover before the growing season.
I once saw a segment on a PBS show – don’t recall which one – that talked about this very problem. The person interviewed raised ornamental grasses and had many. His approach was to use a ‘Sill Saw’ to core out the bare space in the center (called ‘lodging’). That caused the grass to grow inward and fill in the spot. I recall he mentioned that he was not interested in dividing the grasses because he had so many but wanted them to remain attractive.
These grasses have very deep roots and you can find a wonderful poster demonstrating their prodigious depth by doing a search for ‘ornamental root systems’. Be prepared to be awed.
The PBS show was The Victory Garden and the man used a reciprocating saw to cut a hole out of the center, filled it with soilless mix and let the grass fill in the center.
It’s an option. I wonder if a Sill Saw is the same as a reciprocating saw.
Sorry. I used the wrong name – and committed a typo at the same time. The item I saw used was a reciprocating saw. The person talking about it said it was a way to get the grasses growing upright without having to deal with where to put divisions. I believe he had many (dozens?) types of grass already and didn’t want more. The rest of us might go for the divide and replant school.
I know that a regular garden hand saw is pretty useless against an uprooted miscanthus. I’ve had some success gleaning a few rootlings from the outside of a large root ball. But they take off fast are regrow with vigor. … GREAT vigor.
I don’t have any Miscanthus, I think it is more vigorous than the Panicums. I looked up reciprocating saws and they look like they would make a fun toy.
Jason , I have not completely divided a grass because just digging it up almost killed me ! In my experience , once you dig it out you out need a small segment to replant. In any case , a recip saw (i.e. Sawzall) is very useful .
I’ve been looking up recip saws, wondering if it worth the expense since I would use it very rarely. This is normally the kind of job I do with a pick ax.
Having dug and divided a Miscanthus that had only been in the ground for three or four years, I can confirm that the root system is dense, deep and difficult. Assuming the Panicum has a similar root system and considering that your plant has been in the ground for a decade you should consider hiring a contractor/landscape professional. You will get the job done and your back will appreciate it.
It’s definitely an option I am seriously considering.
Friends who needed to dig up a HUGE pampas grass rented a back hoe. Your Switchgrass hopefully would not require such a drastic measure 🙂 Good luck and please document and share your progress.
God I really don’t want to rent a back hoe. It’s a scary thought.
I hate dividing big grasses too and usually need to pause for a beer after the digging process, but the last time I did it, I think I used either an old chef’s knife (handier than you might think for such things) or a serated pruning saw to hack through it and then remove the dead bits in the center. The old jump-on-the-shovel technique doesn’t really work for those.
I do have a pruning saw, but I’m not sure if it’s big enough.
I do not know about this kind of grass, but looking at your pictures, I’d think an afternoon of shoveling around and underneath it and a household ax should do the trick. Plus a sixpack, for refreshments in between 🙂
But I should drink the sixpack only AFTER I’m done with the ax.
I’ve dug up Panicums before, not as wide as yours, but it was definitely doable, with just a sharp spade. The roots are not as deep or tenacious as Miscanthus. I did it after I cut them back almost to the ground in the early spring, before they started growing. I bet you could take bits off all around the edges, to make the clumps smaller. Do it when the soil around them is moist.
Thanks, that’s reassuring to hear.
I agree with Alison that spring is the time to divide a warm season grass; I also think you could try taking off outer segments first to see what effect that has. Anyway good luck and take lots of images of the process.
OK, I promise.
I dug out six big grasses last week. I was very tired of them falling over on the other plants and had no desire to have to stake them every year. I grabbed a regular heavy metal shovel and started digging. These were wide but the roots weren’t too deep. I have some zebra to move in a couple of weeks. I have in the past taken a small tree saw and cut them in half to assist in getting them out. I like to divide. If we lived closer, I’d divide and you could share your Mexican Sunflowers. 🙂
Well, just move and it’s a deal!
Grass is the most difficult plant to divide to me. I usually can’t get a shovel through them. I have to call in the muscle of this operation and he usually threatens to use dynamite and the air turns blue around the operation before having any success. Good luck.
Your muscle wont’t be in the Chicago area anytime in October will he?
Don’t I remember that you have two sons? Sounds like payback time 😄
Yes! At least for the one who lives in town.
Lovely! They do grow rather large! Here we have pampas grass which on the coast may become 10 to 12 feet tall and the base 4 to 5 feet with sharp leaves! Often they are burned to removed dead blades and to make dividing them easier.
Yikes! Think I’ll stick with the relatively civilized Switchgrass.
As I don’t grow ornamental grass, I don’t have any advice to give except to be careful when using dynamite 😉
Noted.
I have no advice to impart, but in fact have exactly the same situation with a “ring” of beautiful ornamental grass in one of my backyard borders. I know it needs dividing – it’s a 3′ donut with a 12″ centre that is bare – but the thought of tackling it is indeed daunting. So I’ve procrastinated. I’ll be interested to see what others have to say.
There’s been lots of promising advice in the comments.
I dug up one Panicum (Northwind, I think) this past spring.
It was Not Fun.
But not impossible.
I toyed briefly with the idea of planting a portion of it and starting over, but decided against it and planted a sweetbay magnolia instead.
The good news is that I have not seen the switchgrass try to come back even though I’m pretty sure I didn’t get 100% of the roots. So there’s that…
I think North American grasses generally won’t come back if you get all of the crown.
I have been putting off dividing my Miscanthus, so all the other comments her are helpful – I will get someone else to do it for me!
That sounds like an ideal solution.
I always had an axe handy for just this kind of thing. Quarter the plant with the axe and dig up each quarter separately. Give 3 of them away and replant the 4th. Wait ten years and do it all again.
I’ve been thinking an ax may be needed. Although I’m leery of axes since my older brother split his big toe when I was little. No lasting harm done, but quite a mess.
You could also use a good sharp spade if the root ball isn’t too tough. Or a sharp edger if the roots are shallow.
For this kind of grass, how much of the roots should be dug up?
I’m glad you asked the question so I could read all of this good advice for future reference. I am planting lots of grasses…can only hope that they will be that happy.
The good thing about grasses is that they only need infrequent division.
I love dividing plants! It may be my favourite gardening task of all. I would offer to help, but there is a massive pond between us and quite a bit of land, come to think of it. The only large grass I have ever divided was Stipa gigantea, and it was a doddle. Not terribly deep-rooted and broke into pieces very easily. I do grow Panicum, so your post has reminded me to get in and divide them sooner, rather than later. (I meant to do it last year, but was too busy – isn’t that always the way?) Good luck with it!
My understanding is that the Panicums need dividing every ten years or so. Of course, if you do it earlier, they’ll be easier to handle. If only you were closer you would be most welcome to take part in dividing our plants – heck, you could do all of it – I wouldn’t mind at all!
Yesterday I planted some grasses – I love it. I just want more now!
If you were closer I could send you some of our Panicum divisions.
Oh how I agree!!! I have no advice but just get in and “getter her done”…lol
Set it on fire?
Don’t tempt me …
I too have floppy switchgrass to divide and plans to move it elsewhere. I had not considered how deep the roots may be, though. This topic has produced a lot of good advice – thanks!
You’re welcome – and good luck!
I do not grow grasses at all Jason but I remember you told about a company that helped you in the backyard. Maybe you call them?
Yes, I’m going to find out how much it would cost for them to do it.
I vote for dynamite!
Think of all the divisions that would make! Though they might be kind of small.
I’ve found it easier to do in the spring I’ve divided and moved some good sized clumps of sorghastrum, little bluestem,switchgrass, and molinia. A couple of years ago I had to dig some in the fall for a building project. It was much easier in the spring, just as they start to break dormancy.
OK, I guess it could be part of my spring clean up.
I’ve never transplanted switchgrass so I had to do some reading up on it. The roots are said to reach to about 8 inches deep and it’s a very tough plant, so you aren’t going to hurt it. I find the same it true with other grasses I’ve had to dig. They’re just about indestructible.
That’s good to hear. You mean 8 feet, right?
Let us know how it goes. I have a micanthus I’ve become tired of and I may tackle it next spring…
In either case put a nice sharp edge on your shovel before starting, this is a project where a dull edge will really drag you down.