What is pampas grass?

Pampas grass is a tall ornamental grass of the Poaceae family that resembles reeds. This grass is very common in South America and likes tropical and subtropical climates.

Nevertheless, pampas grass can be nurtured to grow in other less friendly regions including some cold regions where it has to be grown in pots. The scientific name of fake pampas grass is Cortaderia selloana.

How to dry pampas grass?

The process of drying natural pampas grass is quite taxing especially because you most likely want to protect the fluffy art from shedding.

All the same, when dried properly and handled correctly, pampas grass does not shed that easily. Follow the following steps when drying pampas grass:

Cut your pampas grass stems at reasonable points to endure that the stalks are long enough.

Group the stems into small bunches, preferably those of the same length.

Assuming that you have already constructed a drying stand for the grass, relocate the stand to a dry warm place. This place must be sheltered from the rain.

Now tie the small bunches of pampas grass with rubber bands and hang them upside down on the stand.

Ensure that there is enough space in between the stalks to guarantee a good airflow. This prevents rotting.

Give the grass at least two weeks for drying while carefully turning the stalks every three to four days.

Where does pampas grass grow?

Pampas grass grows best in tropical regions such as Brazil, Chile, and most of South America. It can also grow in subtropical and mediterranean regions without any huge concerns or any intensive care.

However, to grow this plant in colder regions, you must give it a lot of attention and tending.

When does pampas grass bloom?

Just like most grasses, Cortaderia grasses bloom in August and September. The grasses can maintain their glamorous plumes for months, sometimes up to February, depending on how friendly the weather is.

However, as winter sets in, the grass grows dormant up until early spring.

How fast does pampas grass grow?

Since pampas grass is a perennial crop, it tends to take a bit longer to grow than most grasses. The average duration of growing pampas grass from seed to maturity is anywhere between two and four years.

Despite this, the grass can last for more than ten years without the need to replant it. Over this duration, the grass will just be germinating, blooming, and getting dormant around the different seasons.

After planting the Cortaderia seeds, you can expect to see bulbs within the first year.

How to preserve pampas grass?

As mentioned earlier, pampas grass is pretty delicate and hence requires serious preservation methods. One sure way to preserve this type of grass and guarantee that the fluff doesn’t shed off is by drying it completely.

To preserve pampas grass by drying, simply hang it upside down on a stand and put the stand in a room that is dry and warm. After two weeks, the grass will be completely dry.

You can further protect it by spraying hairspray onto the fluff to harden it. This will not only harden the fluff but also stop further absorption of moisture, hence preserving it.

How long does pampas grass last?

Once cut and dried, pampas grass can last for up to three years or more. This of course depends on how well the grass is kept or maintained.

To maintain the vibrant look on dried pampas grass, it is recommended that you regularly take your piece of grass décor outside or near a window to get some sunlight.

Some people try to water the stalks to keep them moist but this is not necessary.

How to fluff pampas grass?

To fluff up pampas grass you have to trigger the plumes to open up. This can be done by blow-drying the already dried fluff with moderate heat.

When blow-drying pampas grass, put your blower on a low heat setting and do it gently to avoid detaching the plumes from the stalk.

How to bleach pampas grass?

You might be wondering how you can achieve an all-white look on pampas fluff. Well, the answer is simple, bleach the pampas grass to get a pure natural white color on the fluffy plumes.

To bleach pampas grass, follow these simple steps:

Dip the grass into a small basin filled with a suitable bleach solution. In this case, we recommend food bleach, which is safe for both the human skin and fabric.

Give the plumes a few minutes in the solution while turning the stalks momentarily.

Once they have whitened up, dip the wet fluff into a basin full of cool clean water. This is meant to dissolve the excess bleach solution from the plumes to neutralize the corrosive effect of the bleaching liquid.

Finally, dry the fluff through the recommended process. You will have your final result of pure white Cortaderia grass.

How to dye pampas grass?

Dying pampas grass is a good way to get a particolored look on pampas grass. The process of dying pampas grass is very straightforward.

One thing to note though is that pampas grass can be dyed when wet or dry as it does not make a difference. The process of dying pampas grass is as follows:

Prepare your concentrated dye by pouring a sachet of your dying powder into a bottle of warm water.

Shake it vigorously and pour it into a bucket as you add about two to four liters of warm water. The amount of water you add here is limited to how concentrated you want the color to look on the fluff. More water means very little color concentration.

Now dip the fronds and fluff into the dying solution and leave it for 10 minutes. By this time the fluff will be colored.

Now dry the fluff by hanging it upside down so that the excess dye can drip off. Once the drying process is complete, you will have your newly dyed Cortaderia grass.

After this, fluff it up a little bit to make the flower look nice and robust.