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I have been switching from Feather Reed Grass to switch grass so use more native plans (in my area). However, every time it rains, all of the switch grass get matted down on the ground. One area is near my gate and after a rain, the grass is laying on te ground, blocking the pathway.

Is there anything special I can do to prevent it?

That may indicate the soil that Switch Grass is growing in is too rich in Nitrogen or lacks adequate Potash levels, or has a nutrient imbalance that is causing weak stems.

I googled "switch grass"...that stuff can get TALL!
I would say to tie it up some way or put something like a tomato wire around it...other than that...????
And I saw a bunch of different colored tomato wires at Lowes the other day...yellow, blue, green, red.

Thanks. I doubt it's a soil thing because I've seen it happening at 6 different spots in various gardens in my area, and it's a native plant.

I would rather stick with the feather reed grass because it looks good all the time.

quote:

Originally posted by ga.karen:
...put something like a tomato wire around it...

Not sure how tall switch grass is so not sure if this will work but I'll share how I've used tomato cages as support for perennials. I cut them apart to make 2 supports for smaller perennials that are not too heavy. Many perennials that get to be top heavy with blooms only need to be supported close to the ground. Tomato cages when cut apart are not really sturdy but will provide enough support for many perennials. I've bought many tomato cages at yard sales or end of the season and they are so much less expensive than other plant rings.

Lucky, the pic I saw on google...it was 7-8' tall!

Switch grass is a very good scavanger of soil nutrients and is being touted more and more as a replacement for corn in making ethanol, mostly because its Nitrogen needs are much less than corns. Too much Nitrogen in the soil can inhibit a plants ability to uptake, and use, other nutrients needed to make the plants strong which aids them in standing upright. Since switch grass grows quite well in very poor soils that indicates a normal garden soil with ample Nitrogen could be too much for this plant.