after all my searches i'm still not sure on the best time to FIRE UP P.Grasses.The wildlife that appreciates the shelter will be left to hibernate until end of March. My concern is the rain, After burning to a stump is there a risk of the whole thing rotting due to,say, a wet period of a week ? I'd like to do it asap but i'd wait if there's a risk of losing it. Thanks for your comments.

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:45:50 +0000, Eddy8000
wrote:


after all my searches i'm still not sure on the best time to FIRE UP
P.Grasses.The wildlife that appreciates the shelter will be left to
hibernate until end of March. My concern is the rain, After burning to a
stump is there a risk of the whole thing rotting due to,say, a wet
period of a week ? I'd like to do it asap but i'd wait if there's a risk
of losing it. Thanks for your comments.

I'm not a fan of burning pampas grasses and people I know have said
growth in the year of burning was less than hoped for, if the plant
survived. I've read that you shouldn't burn more than once every three
years in any event. But if you must burn, then ideally January or
February is the time though there's a real danger that a hedgehog or
two will have nestled in for the winter. Any later and you risk
killing off the new growth in the conflagration. Just remember that
whilst pampas grass responds to burning in its native area, the
climate there is somewhat different.

I go at mine around early March, when I see the new growth starting to
develop, with a decent hedge trimmer - just chop the lot off about 2
feet off the ground. That approach works well for me at least.

Cheers