My Purple grass plant has all brown leaves and I live in Florida, it was doing very well till we got alot of rain, now it looks dead, although I still have all the cat tails coming from inside the plant, the leaves look dead.
Root rot can easily kill ornamental grasses. Try pulling on the leaves at the base of the plant. If they pull out easily, it may have died off.
Clean up the plant and wait it out.
I typically trim my plants at the end of February. I have noticed a lot of new green growth already this year due to a not normal warm California January through February. Should I cut the plants back to 6 inches now or leave them alone until next year?
You can cut them back now. This will help the new growth. If is fortunate that you will have this extra time in the season for growth, as here in my area it has been excessively cold this winter. It is just now finally warming up!
Go ahead and cut them, and let them continue growing.
I live along the Colorado River in AZ and have been told that Purple Fountain Grass is invasive and should not be planted here. After looking into this further it appears some species may be sterile. I'm wanting to figure out which I have.
Thank you!
Unfortunately, all varities of fountain grass should be considered potetially invasive.
https://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/nr/2002/FS0250.pdf
"While the nursery varieties are said to be sterile, there is no clear evidence that they will not add to the spread of fountaingrass. Several varieties of Pennisetum setaceum may be sold, ranging in color from reddish to rose or purple. All cultivars are considered invasive and should not be sold or planted."
Too bad, because its beautiful. Don
I have grass in pots and kept in basement for the winter. watered it once a month. I have set it outside about 2 weeks ago. I had cut about 6 inches from soil in the winter. I do not see any new growth....what should I do?
Our experts say you can stimulate new growth by feeding your plant with a slow-release balanced fertilizer.
Here's an article that will help:
Why is my purple fountain grass still not growing in Atlanta, GA (end of May)?
You are on the border (8a) of its hardiness zone (9 and higher) so if you did not provide extra winter protection, it wouldn't come back in your 8a zone.
If it has been coming back, you may have had milder winters. In any case, it sounds like it is time for a replacement.
I have a narrow (40-50cm) garden bed against a wall that I’d like to use normal (not dwarf) purple fountain grass in for its height, but the border of the bed is just plastic grass barrier lined with some bricks. If I put the full size purple fountain grass in (which is meant to get to about 1m diameter), do you think it might eventually push the edging around and disrupt it? There is a path of paver stones 10cm from the edge that I don’t want to mess with. Thanks for any opinions!
You certainly could have a problem with this. These grasses can become invasive. It's low-maintenance and would look attractive there but could cause problems later. You may want to consider an alternative.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/fountain-grass/tips-for-care-of-fountain-grass.htm
How do I over winter purple fountain grass? I’m in Canadian zone 3. Will the grass survive if I divide the plants, put the divisions into pots, and bring them inside. What do they need for care to winter them over?
Bring purple fountain grass inside a frost-free area that stays above 40 degrees F (4.4 C) or inside a cool room in the home. Cut it back and water carefully during the winter. Don't let it dry out, but be sure not to overwater.