Monkey grass, including species like Liriope (lilyturf) and Ophiopogon (mondo grass), is a popular, durable groundcover. Known for its low maintenance and ability to thrive in various light conditions, it is frequently used to line walkways or serve as a border in garden beds. While tough and generally trouble-free, monkey grass benefits from an annual cutback to maintain a fresh, vibrant appearance. This pruning process revitalizes the foliage, ensuring the plant looks its best as the growing season begins.
The Purpose and Timing of Pruning
Pruning is not required for survival, but it significantly improves the aesthetics of the planting. The evergreen foliage often becomes tattered, faded, or develops brown tips after enduring winter weather and cold temperatures. Removing this spent, older growth allows the plant to focus energy on producing new, bright green shoots, ensuring a clean and healthy look for the coming year.
The optimal window for this maintenance task is late winter or very early spring, typically spanning January through March, depending on the local climate. Aim to complete the cut just before the new foliage begins to emerge from the crown of the plant. Pruning after new growth has started risks cutting the tips off the fresh leaves. These blunt tips spoil the plant’s naturally graceful appearance for the entire season.
Preparing the Necessary Tools
The necessary equipment depends on the size of the area you need to manage. For small, isolated clumps or short borders, sharp, heavy-duty garden shears or hand pruners are sufficient. For larger installations, such as long borders or mass plantings, mechanical tools like an electric hedge trimmer or a rotary lawn mower are more practical options.
Ensure that any tool being used is clean and sharp before beginning the work. Sharp blades create a clean cut that minimizes damage to the plant tissue, allowing for faster healing. Cleaning the blades with a disinfectant, such as a diluted bleach solution, helps prevent the transfer of fungal spores or diseases between plants. This preparation step ensures the cut is efficient and promotes the health of the monkey grass.
Executing the Pruning Cut
The goal of pruning is to remove all old foliage without damaging the crown of the plant, which is the base where new shoots originate. The correct height for the cut is 2 to 3 inches above the soil line. Cutting any lower risks injuring the crown and hindering the emergence of new spring growth.
When using a lawn mower for large areas, the deck should be set to its highest cutting height to avoid cutting too low. For hedge trimmers or shears, gather a handful of the old foliage and make a single, sweeping cut across the bundle at the desired height. If using a mower, push it slowly over the planting to ensure an even cut and collect the clippings in a bag if possible.
Immediately after the cut is complete, all severed foliage and debris must be thoroughly raked away and removed from the area. Leaving the clippings on the ground can smother new shoots, block sunlight, and create a damp environment favorable for pests or disease development. Removing this detritus ensures the new growth has clear access to light and air, promoting a dense and uniform flush of fresh foliage.