Expert: Darlene K. Kittle - 8/29/2009

Question
We purchased a new home this year and there was a zebra grass already planted. We figure that the plant is probably about 2 years old. It appears to be doing well, but it has developed brown stripes on it. I was wondering if it had a disease or a bug. It has been a very wet spring and summer. I thought maybe it was too wet, but other ones in the area don't appear to have the spots. What should we do to fix the problem?

Answer
Barbara,

My specialty is houseplants.  However I have a zebra grass and it has been wet here lately after being dry for sometime. I went out and inspected mine and it is developing some brown spots also.
It is nearly fall, zebra grass is very resilient. It has had a bad year. It will come back next year. If there is a location on your property that would be higher and thus drain better during wet years it would be a good idea to move it there very early next spring before it starts growing again. If not, believe me it will come back and be healthy. If you don't have a higher location to move it to you could consider digging it up in the spring and raising it up by mounding soil under it. You can use top soil you buy in bags at a garden center or you might consider digging a Coy pond and waterfall and using that soil to raise your zebra grass, just a suggestion! If you want other thoughts on the problem you might want to talk to an expert on this site for pereniall plants. Good luck.

Darlene