First of all, you should remember that there are winter and summer varieties of green grass. Winter evergreens such as sedge (Carex) remain as they were in summer even during winter: green and succulent. They also retain their shape. So no work required from the hobby gardener here.
Deciduous grasses such as miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis), on the other hand, die in winter, but only the above-ground part. It turns brown and sometimes sags. Roots in the soil form new shoots in spring. For this group, expert associations such as the North Rhine-Westphalian Horticultural Association and the Federal Gardening and Landscaping Association (BGL) recommend cutting once a year – but only in spring, just before new growth.
During the winter, hobby gardeners should leave the leaves and brown, erect seed heads standing. Dry foliage protects the plant so that frost does not damage the roots. And it can be a beautiful attraction when frost or snow falls on it. A tip for spring is: cut a hand’s width above the ground.
