How to Transplant Muhly Grass
Known for its clumping mass of arching, threadlike blades and profusion of wispy, pink-colored flowers in very late summer and early fall, muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is also known as pink or gulf muhly grass. Once this perennial grass has been in the ground for three to five years, its size warrants digging, division and transplanting to restore its vigor and beauty. Or, if you are unhappy with its location on your property, transplanting may be done in late winter to mid-spring for best results. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Canvas tarp (optional)
- Garden shovel
- Ax or machete
- Wheelbarrow
- Organic matter, such as compost or rotted manure
- Sprinkling can or watering hose with nozzle
Instructions
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1
Lay out a nylon or cloth canvas adjacent to the muhly grass marked for digging. Although optional, the canvas prevents dug soil from disturbing garden mulch or the lawn with soil debris and makes site cleanup easier and faster. Even a section of canvas only 5 feet by 5 feet square does the trick.
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2
Pull back any mulch or organic debris from the base of the muhly grass to expose the bare soil. Use your hands or the shovel to clear an area of 12 to 18 inches around all sides of the plant.
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3
Slice the garden shovel into the soil 6 to 10 inches away from the basal clump of stems on the grass. Adjust the location of the shovel as needed to make it easier to slice downward through the fibrous roots and soil. Use your body's weight to help the shovel slice into the soil; dry clay and loam soils are especially difficult to dig into.
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4
Cut the soil in a circle around the base of the entire muhly grass clump. Once 1/2 of the root ball is cut, you may rock and wedge the shovel to begin lifting and snapping more roots to create a severed root ball.
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Lift and roll the severed root ball from the soil. Place the dug muhly grass plant onto the adjacent canvas. Any shed soil from the root ball falls onto the canvas and may be quickly brushed back into the hole.
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Slice the root ball into halves or thirds if the root ball is too large to easily manipulate or if you want multiple plants to transplant into other parts of the garden. With the root ball upright or on its side, place the shovel blade or a machete in the center of the stem clump and cut through the root ball.
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Drag the muhly grass root ball or pieces atop the canvas to its new planting location. Alternatively, lift the root balls into a wheelbarrow to more easily transport them.
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Dig a new planting hole that is just as deep as the height of the root ball, but twice to three times as wide. Add 20 to 30 percent compost or well-rotted manure into the soil taken from the planting hole. The organic matter improves soil fertility and improves soil drainage and porosity -- both beneficial for lush muhly grass growth.
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Place the muhly grass root ball into the center of the planting hole. Match the top of the root ball with the top rim of the planting hole. You don't want to plant the muhly grass too deeply; add some soil into the hole until the root ball is at the proper height.
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10
Backfill soil around the root ball, tamping it down gently with your fingers as you fill the hole. Stop adding soil once the top of the root ball is even with the filled rim of the planting hole. Excess soil from this site may be taken back to fill the hole where the muhly grass used to grow.
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11
Water the newly planted muhly grass plant to remove any air pockets in the soil and naturally bring soil particles into direct contact with plant roots. Applying 3 to 4 inches of water should be enough to wet the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Scrape any nearby soil around the root ball if the soil settles below grade after the water soaks in.
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Tips & Warnings
Since gardeners cut back muhly grass foliage in very late winter as regular maintenance, transplanting coincides nicely with this time frame. Removal of the old, dead foliage and stems improves the view of the grass clump for easier digging, lifting and replanting.
Digging up and transplanting muhly grass from midsummer to early winter puts undue stress on plants, as the heat and dryness of summer prevents establishment of roots and decreases plants' hardiness to cold heading into winter. Postpone transplanting until late winter or early spring for best results.
Transplanting muhly grass after late spring may prevent the plant from producing its ornamental flowers and seed heads later that year.
References
Resources
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