It just depends on what it is . Panicum virgatum and its cultivars are tough and seem to dig well all year round . I hear ya about the growth . I find that grasses in containers are slower . Try growing 'em in the ground and digging them up and putting a plastic grocery sack for quick cash and carry . The main problem is people should be buying them in spring when most grasses are just getting going , but instead they see Muhly in the fall and are freaking out . The bigger the better for warm season grasses for fall planting . Digging on demand is a great idea , you may have to cut it back , but the average customer probably won't like that . I would put into containers in spring what you know you can sell , then provide bigger instant gratification clumps for persons in fall . Who is your market ? I see mature clumps at nuseries in the fall , landscapers snatch 'em up . Normally it is some lame mainstream Miscanthus and not a 15 gal P. v. 'Dallas Blues' . Thanks to the Smith's for getting that thing out and about .

I have no market! However I believe "If I build it they will come". I have been thinking of taking some to farmer's markets. When I get enough inventory I will be contacting Garden Centers and Landscapers, I am sure they will want them in pots. I do some retail business just from people that know I have plants. Thanks for the advise, we are thinging the same on this.

I think Gary Trucks at Amber Wave Garden does the dig on demand thing for grasses. If you send a generous, undisturbed root ball and educate your customers on the importance of regular watering, I bet they would be fine.

I do this with hostas, but they can easily be transplanted most any time the ground is not frozen.

The ones I wish to propagate I grow in the ground, and divide, mostly in the spring. The ones I plan on selling in the spring, I grow pot in pot in the ground, potting them up by early fall. They overwinter well this way, and I have a nice looking pot by spring. I've had the best luck with this method.

If you dig them in the spring, and pot them up then, I don't think they look as nice for spring sales, but will look very nice for fall sales, which is a very busy time for grass sales, as they are in bloom, and as you've noticed people want them then.

Don't try overwintering your pots above ground. In Zone 5, that's very iffy.

The pot in pot method is a pain in the neck, only the first time, after that it goes quickly as you already have the pot in the ground.

I feel the grasses grow quickly in a pot if you have the right size plugs, or divisions for the pot. For example a small plug in a gallon pot, but any larger in a 3-5 gallon.

Good luck with your endeavor. I am having great luck with ornamental grasses.

Polly

I swear I'll get organized next year. I'll lay in a good stock of nursery pots in various sizes. This year I was potting grasses and other perennials in 1-gallon water jugs, with the top cut off, and banking them into woodchip piles. It looked so funny to watch neighbors walking away with gallon jugs of flowers and grasses! I'm on a busy corner, and I have display beds along the 2 streets, so folks can see mature examples of the things I'm selling.

I took a look at Amber Waves Garden web site...some very nice pictures there. Thanks for sharing.

In spring the earlier the better . It all sounds good to me . Pennisetum 'Oceanside' is fricking huge and quite messy . Are y'all familiar with Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' ?