Sedge
Japanese sedgeOrnamental sedge
Japanese sedge
Treat this genus gently — comb, don't cut. A hard cut-back that would rejuvenate a deciduous grass can permanently disfigure or kill this evergreen group_key.
Care
Tolerates a wide range; gold and variegated forms colour best with some direct sun, plain green forms are more shade-tolerant.
Doesn't like to dry out completely, but not a bog plant for most garden forms of this group_key.
Moist but well-drained soil; tolerant of a range of soil types.
Never cut back hard. Comb out dead or brown blades by hand in spring — this genus does not reshoot from a bare, sheared crown.
A light balanced feed as growth starts keeps the foliage colour fresh, particularly on the variegated and bronze forms in containers. In the open ground it can be skipped in all but the poorest soil.
Divide in spring, keeping each piece generous — small divisions of an evergreen sedge establish slowly and can sulk for a season.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchComb through to remove dead or brown foliage from the previous year. how ›
- AprilLight feed as new growth picks up. how ›
- SeptemberGood time to lift and divide congested clumps. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchComb through to remove dead or brown foliage from the previous year. how ›
- AprilLight feed as new growth picks up. how ›
- SeptemberGood time to lift and divide congested clumps. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. A brown, empty-looking clump that doesn't regreen after being sheared to the ground.
What to do. Comb by hand instead — never shear this group_key to the ground.
How to spot it. A hollow centre with growth only around the rim of the clump, usually with age.
What to do. Lift and divide every few years to keep the clump vigorous.
How to spot it. Bleached or browned leaf tips in a very hot, sunny spot.
What to do. Move to a position with some shade from the hottest midday sun if scorch recurs.
Palm sedgeDeciduous sedge
Palm sedge
Unlike most Carex in this KB, this deciduous group_key is treated like Miscanthus — cut back hard in late winter — so don't apply the "comb, never cut" rule from the evergreen Carex group_key to this one.
Care
Tolerates full sun if the soil stays reliably moist.
Likes consistently moist soil and tolerates boggy conditions better than most Carex — a good choice for a damp spot.
Moist to wet, humus-rich soil.
Unlike evergreen Carex, this group_key dies back in winter — cut back to near ground level in late winter once the foliage has died down and browned off.
One light feed after the spring cut-back is enough. These grow in damp ground where nutrients are rarely the limiting factor — moisture is.
Divide in spring as the new growth appears, replanting immediately into soil that will not dry out. Pieces left lying about lose their fine roots quickly.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchCut back dead foliage to near ground level before new growth starts. how ›
- AprilFeed as new growth emerges. how ›
- SeptemberGood time to lift and divide congested clumps. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchCut back dead foliage to near ground level before new growth starts. how ›
- AprilFeed as new growth emerges. how ›
- SeptemberGood time to lift and divide congested clumps. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. A thick thatch of old, dead brown foliage building up over the crown, because it's being treated like an evergreen Carex.
What to do. Cut back hard in late winter — this group_key tolerates and needs it, unlike the evergreen Carex group_key.
How to spot it. Browning leaf tips during dry spells, especially in light soil.
What to do. Keep the soil consistently moist — this is a moisture-loving group_key, not a drought-tolerant one.
Popular varieties
Questions
Sedge: is it hardy?
Japanese sedge: H7: Fully hardy anywhere in the UK. It survives below −20 °C. Palm sedge: H4: Hardy through an average UK winter. It survives down to −10 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Japanese sedge: Especially the compact forms — a popular choice in mixed container planting for year-round structure. Palm sedge: Particularly good for a damp, part-shaded container spot that stays reliably moist.
Sedge: when do you prune it?
Japanese sedge: Never cut back hard. Palm sedge: Unlike evergreen Carex, this group_key dies back in winter — cut back to near ground level in late winter once the foliage has died down and browned off. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in March.
When do you feed it?
Japanese sedge: A light balanced feed as growth starts keeps the foliage colour fresh, particularly on the variegated and bronze forms in containers. In the open ground it can be skipped in all but the poorest soil. Feeding months, UK: April. Palm sedge: One light feed after the spring cut-back is enough. These grow in damp ground where nutrients are rarely the limiting factor — moisture is. Feeding months, UK: April.