Some browned foliage could be combed out early in the season. One of the pieces can be replanted in the original hole, and other pieces can be planted in other locations. Blue fescue is a commonly grown ornamental grass. Propagation methods. I can't tell in your picture. According to the University of Arkansas, blue fescue is a cool-season perennial grass with blue-gray leaves. Common names include blue fescue, blue mountain grass, and grey fescue. Alternatively, cut the clump through the middle with a spade. How to divide Fountain grass ‘Rubrum’ (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’) – pant each division . This perennial grass grows low to the ground, in attractive round clumps, and fares well in most soils (including sandy soils), as long as the soil has good drainage. The silvery gray-blue and nine-ribbed leaves are smooth, flat, tightly rolled, linear and about 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 in) long. How to Divide Ornamental Grasses for Replanting. Hardy and versatile, ornamental grasses add long-lasting structure and visual appeal to gardens. Lift grasses from the ground with a spade. Follow us. Suggested uses. Dividing. How to Divide Propagating Blue Fescue. It is semi-evergreen in mild winters. This cool-season grower does best in northern and western climates and looks its freshest during the cooler months of the year. Plants require frequent division as clumps tend to die out in the center and need to be divided, replanted or replaced every 2–3 years. Use it to provide a splash of color to the border, create a river of soothing blue, or add some stylish edge a sunny bed. With spiky silvery ... Can Blue Fescue Be Divided, How To Divide Blue … However, you can simply comb them out with your fingers. Blossoms. Split them using two forks inserted back to back in the centre of the clump, and then prize them apart. Your email address will not be published. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer as directed and water in well. This petite plant can also liven up containers. It’s also suitable for using in container displays. In late spring into early summer it produces tiny light blue-green flowers, these are followed by grass seed heads. The truest blue of the dwarf grasses and totally drought-proof once established, Festuca glauca has stiff thread-like blue foliage which forms dense, upright tussocks, from which steel blue flower-heads appear in summer. Blue fescue, such as the Elijah Blue variety (Festuca glauca "Elijah Blue"), is a sun-loving and drought-tolerant ornamental grass. Divide Festuca glauca in spring, just as new growth starts to emerge. PropagationSow seed in a cold frame from fall to spring; divide in spring. Division of established clumps in winter is the easiest method although, plants can be grown from seed. The Festuca glauca (Blue fescue) is a clump-forming ornamental grass known for its glaucous, finely-textured, blue-gray foliage. I brought a small blue fescue plant with me when I moved from Colorado to Washington state 7 yrs ago. Blue Fescue - Festuca 'Elijah Blue' from Garden Splendor® is a superb small growing ornamental grass that should be in every sunny garden. Plant combination. Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions. Festuca ovina glauca - blue fescue APPEARANCE:Fine-leaved low-growing tussock grass with slender blue-grey foliage all year. Blue fescue is also very drought tolerant, making it a great choice for rock gardens. USES: Ideal used in rockeries, borders and cottage style gardens. So, it was time to divide. For a blue leaved grass I prefer Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens). Grown for its striking blue-green foliage. Although Elijah Blue Fescue enjoys bright light, it isn’t a fan of high heat and humidity. How to Cut Blue Fescue Grasses. From my experience -- sun, sun, sun. Another cool-season ornamental grass is low-growing fescue, such as the 'Elijah Blue cultivar of blue fescue ... Divide the clump into two or more pieces by using the spade, a sharp garden knife or a small axe to separate roots. Plants develop to a dense, rounded clump. Expert: Amanda Kantor Bio: Amanda Kantor is the retail manager of Five Acre Farm in … The leaves are linear, arched and long, about 20 cm long of a blue-gray. How to divide blue fescue (Festuca glauca) 0. Bag the bronze, I can already tell you are frustrated with it. Lift and divide clumps if needed (also to be done in winter). Festuca glauca- Blue fescue is a clump forming evergreen grass. Space blue fescue 20cm apart when using as ground cover. Beyond Blue Fescue is a silvery blue Fringe variety with a chill attitude. Learn how to divide ornamental grasses, in this free gardening video. Grow in groups in a border or rock garden, or as a groundcover. Be careful to not build any mulch or soil on the bark of your trees and shrubs. Division. Where to grow . Blue festuca ornamental grass, also called Elijah Blue fescue, provides a dash of grey-blue foliage to your landscape. A clump that measures 8-inches across can easily give you ten plants (or many more if you’re brave or desperate). Other common names blue fescue 'Elijah Blue' . Festuca glauca benefits from dividing every two or three years because mature clumps tend to die away at the centre. An old chef’s knife is the perfect tool to divide blue fescue. It belongs to the same family of grasses and bamboos. I wouldn't do too much with fescue, it is more that each plant seems to have a mind of its own, different sizes, shades. Divide blue fescue frequently, probably about every two to three seasons. Lift the clumps and cut them into smaller pieces with a sturdy knife. Divide every few years to maintain vigor and color. The grass forms low tight mounds and produces tall flower tipped stems in May to June. Elijah Blue is supposed to be sterile (seeds will not germinate) so I suspect it's the plants that were labeled 'blue fescue' that are the culprits. A truly versatile perennial grass, blue fescue has an eye-catching blue hue that lasts all year. Share. Divide in spring every 2 or 3 years. It’s perfect for growing in a rock garden, where it teams well with a wide variety of rock plants. How does one make blue fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue') happy? Name * Email * Website. Family Poaceae . I used a shovel to divide it last fall for the first time into three plants, and I wasn't very gentle with it because the roots were so tightly bound. Regarded by some as the bluest blue fescue, this plant forms compact, cascading mounds of foot-tall, intensely blue, narrow leaves that are attractive in all seasons. Blooms are generally secondary to the foliage, but this cultivar blooms more heavily than most, with spikelets in summer. How to divide Fountain grass ‘Rubrum’ (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’) 0. Using a sharp tool such like a spade, cut the root ball in half without damaging the foliage, then replant the two halves 20 cm apart. Free Gardening ebook. Genus Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer . Some grasses have tough roots that may require a sharp knife, saw or even an axe to split them apart. The blue fescue is a crest-like, evergreen and perennial grass that forms hemispherical clusters about 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 in) high and 25 centimeters (10 in) wide. You may also like... 0. One plant died, but the other two made it with consistent watering and feeding. ... Our advice for keeping beautiful foliage, is to divide your fescue every 2-3 years to rejuvenate the foliage. My blue fescues also seed out and the only way to prevent this is to cut off the seed heads. Blue fescue blooms, though somewhat insignificantly, in summer; golden inflorescences add height and a softer texture to the otherwise stiffer structure. Bowden and Guernsey lily (Nerine) Plant propagation. Can also be grown from seed in a cold frame at a likewise time. Details 'Elijah Blue' forms small cushions of very fine, inrolled, intensely ice-blue leaves, becoming greener in winter. Blue fescue is actually tough to use well, and you have done very well. Fountain grass ‘Rubrum’ (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’) 0. Required fields are marked * Comment. Bake it to get that great, matte-blue cast to … A key fact about blue fescue would be its zonal … How to divide blue fescue (Festuca glauca) Leave a Reply Cancel reply. It can be used as an accent plant, in mass plantings, containers, and crevices. With its clump-forming habit, blue fescue forms uniform balls of foliage topped with feathery straw bloom stalks in the summer. Festuca Glauca- Blue Fescue Grass Festuca glauca- Blue fescue care. Its icy blue foliage will lend a cooling touch to your garden. Blue fescue prefers to grow in … May 25, 2020 - Blue Fescue 'Elijah Blue' has been greeting visitors at the front border of the Garden Drama test garden for over 10 years. Blue fescue is a native of southern France, where it grows among sandstone rocks and in limestone pastures. Characteristics of blue fescue Plant. Replant the divided parts and water thoroughly. Dividing blue fescue every few years keeps plants as tidy little tufts, like the above photo. Blue fescue is an ornamental grass variety used in flower gardens for landscape design in USDA growing zones 4 through 8 where the summers are mild and not overly wet. It is hardy between USDA zones 4 and 9 and grows from 6 to 10 inches tall. How? Blue fescue plants are evergreen but they do lose some of the older blades and grow new fresh deep blue leaves in spring. Festuca glauca 'Compacta Blue' (Blue fescue 'Compacta Blue') will reach a height of 0.2m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years. They still looked pretty good, but were getting overgrown, a little misshapen and several had dead centers. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca): learn and get advice on how to grow, care, plant, water, propagate, mulch, identify. The older leaves adhere to the plant and spoil the bright coloration. This cultivar is long-lived and very hardy. I like to think of blue fescue as modular — it looks great as a single specimen or massed in a field. Leaves. Some folks ask about seed and yes, you can grow the blue fescue species plants from seed. Its arching blue blades will cascade over the edge like a waterfall. The blue fescue plants die out in the middle, and you should divide the plants every two to three years to keep the grass clump growing. Let’s see how they grow during the summer… Page 2 of 2 « 1 2. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground in early spring. The task isn’t too bad. I've transplanted it 4 times and it has never failed me. Blue fescue is relatively compact, forming a dense, rounded mound of blue-gray foliage. How to divide grasses. Recent Posts; Popular Posts ; Recent Comments; Bulbs. Give them a good soak after planting and they are now ready to grow. Ensure the plant is growing in a very sunny location with sharp drainage. I let mine go, with no dividing at all over the past decade. Its size is low, about 15 to 25 cm high and its foliage is very decorative. Do not be afraid to divide it – if you don’t divide it every two to three years, it will die out on you. 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