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Ornamental grasses have become very popular for the home landscape in recent years, and for good reason, there are many attractive and diverse varieties. They are dependable and easy to grow.

One myth associated with ornamental grasses is that they are all invasive and should be avoided in a garden setting; however, the truth is that most of them are "bunch grasses.” Bunch grasses grow in clumps. They do not spread by underground rhizomes, as lawn grasses (fescue and bluegrass) do. And, we are all too familiar with the nasty invasive habit of quack grass! There is no need to worry about this with ornamental grasses.

According to Mary Meyer, University of Minnesota Extension Horticulturist and expert on ornamental grasses for northern climates, grasses have many features that make them ideal additions to the landscape. They have very few insect or disease problems and require little or no supplemental fertilizer to grow well.

There is also very little maintenance needed to keep them looking their best. Just cut them back in early spring before they begin putting on the new season's growth. They could be cut back in the fall, instead, but many varieties have stiff stems that will stand up all winter to provide good winter interest in the garden, as well. In fact, the changing appearance of grasses through the four seasons is the main reason people grow them.

There are many varieties of ornamental grasses, large and small, with foliage color ranging from silver to yellow to green to burgundy. Some are stiff and upright in growth habit, while others grow in a graceful nodding fashion. They add texture to the garden, when combined with flowering perennials and/or annuals. They can also be used to create an interesting garden of just grasses.

One unusual aspect of ornamental grasses that one might not think of is that they can also be enjoyed for their audio and visual impact; that is, they wave with the slightest breeze and make soft swishing sounds!

Many ornamental grasses grown in gardens are actually native grasses, adapted to growing on Minnesota prairieland. These grasses do best in full sun. For example, there is Red Switchgrass. This grass can reseed, but it is loved by wildlife that eats the seeds. It also provides winter cover for wildlife. Another attractive native grass, which turns red in the fall, is Little Bluestem. It grows to 3 feet in height and has an arching habit.

There are grasses that will grow in shady areas of the garden, too. These plants are called sedges. Mary Meyer says, "The next time you go for a walk in the woods, look at the forest floor and you will most likely find sedges." Sedges may have yellow or variegated foliage, which make them stand out, a bright spot of color, growing amidst other plants in the shade garden.

To learn about the many varieties of ornamental grasses, read "Ornamen-tal Grasses for Minnesota," by Mary Meyer, at www.extension.umn. edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6422.html.

I will be teaching a class on Ornamental Grasses Thursday, July 28, at the Fairview Lakes Regional Health Care Center in Wyoming, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. We will discuss different varieties of grasses, and how to use them effectively in the landscape. This class will be the fourth in a series of six sessions on flower gardening on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month this summer.

The last two sessions (Aug. 11 and 25) will be on "Butterfly Gardening" and "Attracting Beneficial Wildlife."

For more information, call 651-674-4417, stop by the Chisago County Extension Office, 38780 8th Ave, North Branch, or visit our website to download a ticket order form: www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago.

SUBMITTED BY, PEGGY BOIKE

Master Gardener

FREE CLASS

Dave Hanson: Trees, Trees, Trees

July 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at the Senior Center in North Branch

We receive more questions on trees than any other topic. Come learn about selection, planting and care, pruning, diseases and how to contact an arborist. Hanson is a Research Specialist and Tree Care Advisor Coordinator, Urban and Community Forestry, University of MN, Department of Forest Resources. If he doesn't have the answer to your question, he will know who does.

The Senior Center is located at 6th and Maple St. Enter through the double glass doors from the parking lot side of the building.

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In Your Yard and Garden

These hot, dry days of summer mean we have to add water to our gardens. Once plants begin to flower and produce fruit, they have an increased need for moisture. It is better for the plants to be watered deeply once a week than to get sprinkled every few days. Deep watering encourages the plant to send roots deeper into the soil. Check the soil moisture at about 4" below the surface and if the soil is dry, you will need to add about 1" of water.

Using a soaker hose is the most efficient method and helps to prevent the fungal diseases that can be worsened by sprinkling the foliage. Those gardeners who use mulches will find themselves having to drag out the hoses less often. Mulching will also help to reduce weeds and prevent fungus spores splashing from the soil to the plants.

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