Hairbrushes at the ready - now is the time to give your ornamental grasses some much-needed haircare
No, it's not a prank; this one simple task can make a world of difference for your outdoor long grasses
Although summer is coming to a slow and rather hot end, there's still plenty to get done in the garden. Along with your usual pre-autumn tasks, there's one unconventional job you may have forgotten to add to your list.
As some of the best plants for shade, ornamental grasses are really popular for homeowners, especially those with north-facing gardens. They're also a great way to add dimension to your space, and some types will thrive non-stop for a vibrant plot all year long. They do, however, need a little TLC from time to time, and before autumn arrives, they need a special kind of attention.
So before you count your list of August gardening jobs as complete, you may want to get your hairbrush at the ready.
If you dont have a spare hairbrush and dont want to sacrifice your own, these outdoor bristle brushes are perfect for the job.
Whilst you may not think of your hairbrush as an essential gardening tool, for this job, it couldn't be more perfect.
"It's time to brush your grasses. So if you've got stipa grass, by now it might be really top-heavy, and you'll need to be brushing out all of the seed heads and any of the dead grass," explains Sophie Valentine, gardening influencer at @lookinsidemygarden on Instagram.
"So this whole clump is hundreds and hundreds of seeds that you can sow to grow more stipa grass for next year," she adds.
Some ornamental grasses are like flowers that self-seed; as the wind blows through them, these seeds can spread around your garden. However, if you want more control of where they grow, you can collect the seeds like this and plant them yourself.
When brushing your grasses, you might find that quite a lot of breakage happens and dry strands are being pulled out. This is completely normal and will be beneficial for the plant to both look better and continue to grow taller too.
"And you'll end up with handfuls of bits that look like straw, and it will take all the weight out, and it will stand up much taller," Sophie points out.
Now all you need to worry about is cutting back your ornamental grasses come springtime for another round of decadent swishing growth.
Whilst you might not have thought to, ornamental grasses make a great addition to your plant arrangements for autumn hanging baskets. They can add volume and colour to the display.
