October Sky Switch Grass is an ornamental grass, an upright prairie native with airy flower clouds and winter presence. October Sky Switch Grass flowers in late summer in shades of pink, and performs best in full sun with low watering once established. This grass matures to roughly 3-6 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. It is ideal massed along a driveway or repeated through a bed for rhythm, offering movement, texture, and winter interest. Well suited to the Canadian climate in zones 3-9, it establishes readily and improves with age. It tolerates dry spells well once its roots are down.
Mature height: 3-6 feet
Mature width: 2-3 feet
Bloom: Pink, late summer
Light: Full Sun
Water: Low — water deeply but infrequently once established
Hardiness: Zone 3-9
Maintenance: Low maintenance
Pruning: Cut back to 6 inches in early spring before new growth emerges.
🪴 Planting Instructions: Dig a hole slightly wider than the pot, keeping the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil. Loosen circling roots before planting, backfill with native soil amended with compost, then water thoroughly to settle. Space plants about 2-3 feet apart and keep well watered through the first full season while roots establish. Plant in full sun.
💧 Care & Watering: Water low: water deeply but infrequently once established. Mulch to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature, and feed with a balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring. Cut back to 6 inches in early spring before new growth emerges.
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