Monkey grass (Liriope spicata) is a wonderful border grass plant and groundcover that’s perfect for hard-to-mow spaces, like driveways and walkways. Also known as lily turf, monkey grass is ideal for homeowners as a landscape material because of its versatility. Monkey grass is more drought-tolerant and low-maintenance than other types of groundcover.
This border plant can also be used to separate planting beds from lawns. Trimming monkey grass isn’t mandatory, but the leaves will start to brown on the tips as they age, and eventually can look pretty ragged. Each spring, monkey grass grows a fresh set of leaves, so pruning monkey grass doesn’t stunt the plant’s growth. By trimming liriope, you get rid of the old growth to have a fresh, green border.
Types of Monkey Grass
There are two types of monkey grass: liriope, also known as lily turf, and mondo grass. The most common species is liriope muscari, and this type grows in clumps with grass-like foliage and makes small purple or white flowers. Mondo grass, on the other hand, is shorter and has a finer texture than liriope. Mondo grass forms dense, low-growing mats and makes small white or pale lilac flowers.
Tools You Need
Trimming or pruning liriope is a straightforward process. For small areas, you can use sharp garden shears or scissors. For larger areas, you can use a weed eater, hedge trimmer, or lawn mower. If your goal is simply to trim back liriope, you won’t need herbicide or weed killer.
Trimming Your Grass
When to Trim Monkey Grass:
Like other types of ornamental grasses, the best time to cut back monkey grass is in late winter or early spring. This ensures that is will stay green all winter and insulate its roots from the cold. After trimming the monkey grass, it should only be bare for a few weeks while new leaves grow.
How to Trim Monkey Grass:
You can go over monkey grass with a lawn mower set to the highest setting, or use a string trimmer or clippers to cut it back to about 3” high. If your monkey grass has already sprouted, you’ll probably need to cut it by hand, so you don’t cut the nice rounded tips off the new shoots.
Tidy Up Your Border:
This is also a great time to pull any weeds and shape up your border by digging away clumps of monkey grass that might be straying where they don’t belong.
Trimming Monkey Grass: It’s Simple
Monkey grass maintenance needs to be incorporated into your lawn care regiment to keep your lawn looking the best it can. A popular groundcover and border plant for homeowners, the best way to care for monkey grass is to trim or prune your plant just before the growing season starts. For small patches you can use smaller tools, like shears, and for bigger patches you can use bigger tools, like a string trimmer or clippers.
FAQs About Trimming a Monkey Grass Border
How do you propagate liriope and mondo grass?
To propagate liriope, dig up the entire root ball and separate into smaller sections. Replant the divisions immediately and water well. This is best done in the early spring or fall. You can also collect seeds from the plants flowers in the fall and sow them in the spring. Be sure to keep the soil moist until germination occurs.
To propagate mondo grass, dig up a section of the plant and gently pull it apart into smaller clumps. Be sure that each smaller clump has roots. Replant the divisions and water thoroughly. Like liriope, this is best done in the spring or fall. Mondo grass spreads underground via runners, and you can also propagate the plant with the runners. Dig up the new shoots and replant in a desired location. Be sure that your new shoot has roots attached, or it won’t grow.
What is the best tool to trim monkey grass?
The best tool to trim or prune your monkey grass depends on the size of your patch. You can use a weed eater, a lawn mower set to the highest setting, a string trimmer, and hedge trimmers for larger patches. For smaller areas, you might consider clippers or shears. Though, I recommend using shears for very small patches as trimming grass with this tool can be tedious.
What is the best time to trim my liriope?
The best time to trim your liriope, or monkey grass, is in the late winter or early spring, before the growing season begins. This ensures that your plant will stay green throughout the winter and insulate its roots from the cold. New growth should start within a few weeks of pruning.
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