By Maiden grass do you mean Gracillimus? Planted in mid-July? Could be it's taking a while to adjust to the soil conditions and was set back by being transplanted in mid-summer (less than ideal time). How tall is it now? How large of a clump when transplanted (gallon?). Water it well through the heat, mulch with fine gravel, be patient. If it's not brown and dead looking it's probably quite alive. Even if the blades were brown, the clump may yet still live! Grasses rule.

Grasses do not grow all that much in their first year, especially when planted in its season (Miscanthus is a warm-season grower); itÂs establishing itself first, so not to worry. Misc. generally doesn't need mulch, although pampering in first year is okay. Gravel should work as well as any other mulch, especially in excessively humid areas. (Keep organic mulches away from the crown.) You've planted early enough for the grass to establish its roots. Keep moist, but do not fertilize.

Definately don't fertilize this grass.BruMeta is right on stating that they don't do much their first year. Remember first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Your patience will be rewarded, I assure you ! I do water my first year grasses about once a week, especially this year, with the hot, dry weather. After that, they are pretty much on their own.

Blackie

Using quarter minus gravel as a "mulch" or top dressing gives you the weed suppression and water retention of an organic mulch without the unnecessary organic component of the traditional mulch. It also promotes excellent drainage, allows the water to penetrate evenly and looks great. Grasses love it. As was mentioned, do not allow any mulch or top dressing to cover the crown.

"quarter minus gravel" as a "mulch"?

Why pray tell would anyone want to use any gravel of any size for a type of mulch? Gravel and rocks collect heat, retain that heat.

Doesn't it seem rather foolish to add more heat during the HOT summer months and then have to water more because the plants are over heated?

Even a thin layer of quarter minus gravel will gather heat and warm up the soil where the roots are. Mulch is meant to keep the soil cool as well as the roots. Mulch also helps retain moisture.

More heat or heated substances will cook away the moisture.

Oh well, if it works for you and your plants go for it!

Jake

There are lots of grasses (and other plants) mulched with light-colored gravel around my coastal community. The houses down (toward the bay) the street from me get regular shallow flooding, and regular mulch would be washed away, but the gravel stays put. The plants that are salt-tolerant survive, but they lose lots of plants every year. Go figure.

Anywho, gravel shouldn't warm the soil any more than dark organic mulch. They both shade the soil, which helps cool it. The darker mulch will retain more of the sun's heat, while the lighter gravel will reflect a good deal of it.

PS, I only use gravel to mulch my Cacti.

I only use gravel for my road and for my creek area, never for a mulch. Rock is not mulch. Guess its time for the dictionary to end this arguement.....

I take care of a persons lawn and landscaping, he has some rather large maiden grass. I used to work for his previous person that took care of them. we cut them into stove pipe shape in the fall and they looked terrible but grew fine this summer... This winter he wanted them left alone... we had an ice storm followed by several inches of snow they look like they were stepped on my a giant? what should I do... futher, my client is worried that the center of the grows are becoming sparse,,, do you transplant from the outer edges?

Your client is on the right track!
Miscanthus cultivars 'usually' stay upright throughout the winter months adding interest to the landscape. However, some winters throw more at the grasses than they can take. We have had similar weather here and many of my grasses were flattened. As the snow & ice has melted some have managed to rebound to their original shape.
Some of your client's grasses may rebound. Those that don't can be cut-back enough to tidy them up. I would leave a foot or two for winter protection.

As for the centers becoming sparse. This is a normal thing for most clumping grasses. There are several 'fixes'.
1. Dig the whole grass up, remove the center portion & replant ~ you could gain many more clumps of grass with this method. NOTE: Spring is the recommended time to divide grasses.
2. Chop out the dead center portion, add some soil & the grass will probably start to shoot in this improved area.
3. Leave it alone - the sparse centers don't show as the grass gains full size each year. I find that grasses with sparse centers have a lovely shape to them.

Bluestem has a nice article about dividing grasses AND a link to a very helpful discussion on this forum!

Here is a link that might be useful: dividing grasses