Where to grow . The Festuca glauca (Blue fescue) is a clump-forming ornamental grass known for its glaucous, finely-textured, blue-gray foliage. Alternatively, cut the clump through the middle with a spade. It’s also suitable for using in container displays. Using a sharp tool such like a spade, cut the root ball in half without damaging the foliage, then replant the two halves 20 cm apart. Characteristics of blue fescue Plant. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer as directed and water in well. Expert: Amanda Kantor Bio: Amanda Kantor is the retail manager of Five Acre Farm in … PropagationSow seed in a cold frame from fall to spring; divide in spring. May 25, 2020 - Blue Fescue 'Elijah Blue' has been greeting visitors at the front border of the Garden Drama test garden for over 10 years. I wouldn't do too much with fescue, it is more that each plant seems to have a mind of its own, different sizes, shades. One of the pieces can be replanted in the original hole, and other pieces can be planted in other locations. Blue fescue is an ornamental grass variety used in flower gardens for landscape design in USDA growing zones 4 through 8 where the summers are mild and not overly wet. However, you can simply comb them out with your fingers. The blue fescue is a crest-like, evergreen and perennial grass that forms hemispherical clusters about 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 in) high and 25 centimeters (10 in) wide. Blue festuca ornamental grass, also called Elijah Blue fescue, provides a dash of grey-blue foliage to your landscape. Blue fescue, such as the Elijah Blue variety (Festuca glauca "Elijah Blue"), is a sun-loving and drought-tolerant ornamental grass. Fountain grass ‘Rubrum’ (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’) 0. Division of established clumps in winter is the easiest method although, plants can be grown from seed. They still looked pretty good, but were getting overgrown, a little misshapen and several had dead centers. Divide Festuca glauca in spring, just as new growth starts to emerge. Dividing blue fescue every few years keeps plants as tidy little tufts, like the above photo. Divide blue fescue frequently, probably about every two to three seasons. Division. A key fact about blue fescue would be its zonal … Hardy and versatile, ornamental grasses add long-lasting structure and visual appeal to gardens. Blue Fescue - Festuca 'Elijah Blue' from Garden Splendor® is a superb small growing ornamental grass that should be in every sunny garden. Try planting within the foreground of a mixed selection of contrasting ornamental grass varieties for maximum impact. Free Gardening ebook. Its arching blue blades will cascade over the edge like a waterfall. Beyond Blue Fescue is a silvery blue Fringe variety with a chill attitude. How does one make blue fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue') happy? Bag the bronze, I can already tell you are frustrated with it. It is semi-evergreen in mild winters. How to Divide Propagating Blue Fescue. Elijah Blue is supposed to be sterile (seeds will not germinate) so I suspect it's the plants that were labeled 'blue fescue' that are the culprits. Divide in spring every 2 or 3 years. It is hardy between USDA zones 4 and 9 and grows from 6 to 10 inches tall. One plant died, but the other two made it with consistent watering and feeding. Grow in groups in a border or rock garden, or as a groundcover. Plants develop to a dense, rounded clump. Propagation methods. ... Our advice for keeping beautiful foliage, is to divide your fescue every 2-3 years to rejuvenate the foliage. Cut it back to a few inches from the ground in early spring. I can't tell in your picture. With its clump-forming habit, blue fescue forms uniform balls of foliage topped with feathery straw bloom stalks in the summer. Lift the clumps and cut them into smaller pieces with a sturdy knife. I like to think of blue fescue as modular — it looks great as a single specimen or massed in a field. I used a shovel to divide it last fall for the first time into three plants, and I wasn't very gentle with it because the roots were so tightly bound. Be careful to not build any mulch or soil on the bark of your trees and shrubs. With spiky silvery ... Can Blue Fescue Be Divided, How To Divide Blue … You may also like... 0. Its icy blue foliage will lend a cooling touch to your garden. This perennial grass grows low to the ground, in attractive round clumps, and fares well in most soils (including sandy soils), as long as the soil has good drainage. Blue fescue plants are evergreen but they do lose some of the older blades and grow new fresh deep blue leaves in spring. Blue fescue is actually tough to use well, and you have done very well. The truest blue of the dwarf grasses and totally drought-proof once established, Festuca glauca has stiff thread-like blue foliage which forms dense, upright tussocks, from which steel blue flower-heads appear in summer. Some browned foliage could be combed out early in the season. Name * Email * Website. Learn how to divide ornamental grasses, in this free gardening video. Although Elijah Blue Fescue enjoys bright light, it isn’t a fan of high heat and humidity. How to divide Fountain grass ‘Rubrum’ (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’) – pant each division . How? Genus Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer . In late spring into early summer it produces tiny light blue-green flowers, these are followed by grass seed heads. How to Divide Ornamental Grasses for Replanting. USES: Ideal used in rockeries, borders and cottage style gardens. Another cool-season ornamental grass is low-growing fescue, such as the 'Elijah Blue cultivar of blue fescue ... Divide the clump into two or more pieces by using the spade, a sharp garden knife or a small axe to separate roots. Required fields are marked * Comment. An old chef’s knife is the perfect tool to divide blue fescue. I let mine go, with no dividing at all over the past decade. Blue fescue blooms, though somewhat insignificantly, in summer; golden inflorescences add height and a softer texture to the otherwise stiffer structure. The task isn’t too bad. Festuca glauca benefits from dividing every two or three years because mature clumps tend to die away at the centre. It’s perfect for growing in a rock garden, where it teams well with a wide variety of rock plants. The leaves are linear, arched and long, about 20 cm long of a blue-gray. Can also be grown from seed in a cold frame at a likewise time. Bake it to get that great, matte-blue cast to … Some folks ask about seed and yes, you can grow the blue fescue species plants from seed. This cool-season grower does best in northern and western climates and looks its freshest during the cooler months of the year. For a blue leaved grass I prefer Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens). How to divide blue fescue (Festuca glauca) Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions. A truly versatile perennial grass, blue fescue has an eye-catching blue hue that lasts all year. Your email address will not be published. Blossoms. This petite plant can also liven up containers. Dividing. The blue fescue plants die out in the middle, and you should divide the plants every two to three years to keep the grass clump growing. How to Cut Blue Fescue Grasses. Share. From my experience -- sun, sun, sun. Give them a good soak after planting and they are now ready to grow. Blue fescue prefers to grow in … Space blue fescue 20cm apart when using as ground cover. Use it to provide a splash of color to the border, create a river of soothing blue, or add some stylish edge a sunny bed. Replant the divided parts and water thoroughly. It belongs to the same family of grasses and bamboos. Other common names blue fescue 'Elijah Blue' . Blue fescue (Festuca glauca): learn and get advice on how to grow, care, plant, water, propagate, mulch, identify. Festuca glauca- Blue fescue is a clump forming evergreen grass. Blue fescue is also very drought tolerant, making it a great choice for rock gardens. Blooms are generally secondary to the foliage, but this cultivar blooms more heavily than most, with spikelets in summer. Regarded by some as the bluest blue fescue, this plant forms compact, cascading mounds of foot-tall, intensely blue, narrow leaves that are attractive in all seasons. Follow us. 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