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Ornamental Grass

Little Bluestem "Standing Ovation"

9 years ago

This is my 3rd year with this plant and I love it, but I've noticed that when it finally does leaf out later in Spring, the plant seems to be rising higher and higher out of the ground. Not sure what's going on here? Is it actually heaving out of the ground or something? Still seems to fill out nicely but I'm worried that I will lose it if I don't take appropriate action.

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Comments (2)

donn_
9 years ago
I don't have 'Standing Ovation' but a couple of other varieties, and don't see rising crowns on any of them.

It could be from heaving, and it could be from inadequate drainage or seriously compacted clay soil under it.

You might try replanting it next spring, and make sure it has good drainage and tilth.
florananny
Original Author
9 years ago
donn, I think you must be spot on -- we do have heavy clay here and I probably wasn't aggressive enough about prepping the soil. I'm seeing the same phenomenon (to a lesser degree) with another grass (Sea Oats 'Rivermist') in another border too, so I'm guessing that the grasses' roots penetrate deeper into the soil? Since the other plants in the same borders, planted around the same times, are not doing the same 'heaving'...
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