Things You'll Need
String
Garden shears
Grass trees (Xanthorrhoea preissii) are primarily grown in thick soils or even in gravel. The grass tree does not need direct sunlight to flourish. If you have a grass tree that is turning brown, you probably need to prune it. When the leaves are turning brown, the leaves need to be cut in order to regrow. You don't have to be a gardening expert to prune your grass trees. You can do it yourself with little hassle and minimal knowledge of the plant.
Step 1
Tie the leaves together with a piece of string so you have access to the roots at the bottom of the grass tree. When you are done, the grass tree should look similar to a bushel of sticks.
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Step 2
Sharpen your shears before you start to make cuts. It is important for the cuts to be straight and even. If the cuts are not straight, you could leave dead portions of the leaves. When the leaves start to grow back, the dead portions will remain around the flourishing portions. This will inhibit the leaves from growing back fully.
Step 3
Use a pair of shears to cut the damaged or brown stems from the bottom of the tree. These damaged or dead stems will not come back to life. When you cut them away from the tree, you give the tree the ability to create new stems and new leaves. Make an even cut when removing the stems.
Step 4
Untie the string and look through the tree for any brown or dead leaves. Make an even cut across the leaves to remove the dead portions from the tree. Remove any leaves that have even the smallest brown parts. These leaves are dead and the brown will spread up the leaf if left unattended.
Step 5
Gather the dead leaves and put them in a trash bag. Dispose of the dead leaves in your trashcan or dump them out of your yard.
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