How to Dry Pampas Grass in 3 Easy Steps

Learn how to dry pampas grass in 3 easy steps without waiting weeks for drying. Cut and style your pampas grass on the same day.

Do you love the trend of using pampas grass in home decor?

Me too!!!

And if you can believe it I have a pampas grass plant right in my backyard but have never used the plumes in my home.

Say what!?!

I know…crazy right!

This year I kept seeing pampas grass styled in beautiful ways on Instagram and Pinterest.

Then I saw some for sale in a store.

And I thought…that’s it…I’m going home and cutting my pampas grass today!

How Do I Maintain Pampas Grass Plants?

pampas grass in backyard behind black metal fence

To keep pampas grass plants under control you need to trim the plant back to the ground at least once a year.

We cut ours back at the end of winter so we can enjoy the plumes all year.

At the beginning of spring we cut the plant back and haul it to the woods behind our house.

I never thought about cutting some of the plumes to use in my home decor until now.

pampas grass plumes on plant outside in backyard trees in background

Seriously look how pretty they are!

Why not use them in a vase in our house?

After doing a quick google search I learned that after cutting pampas grass you should wrap the stems together and hang upside down for 2-3 weeks to dry.

What?!

Nobody’s got time for that!

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3 Easy Steps to Dry Pampas Grass

I am no gardener.

And I don’t claim that this is the proper way to dry pampas grass.

But these are the super EASY steps I took and I worked just fine for me.

Step 1 – Cut Stems of Pampas Grass Reed

hand with garden shears cutting stem of pampas grass outside in backyard

I cut the stem of the pampas grass reed with my favorite garden hand pruner.

And then continued the same step for about 7-9 stems on my plant.

hand holding cut pampas grass plume stems outside in front of fence and plant

I wanted to cut a bunch to be able to use them in several areas in our home.

Step 2 – Trim the Foliage on Stem

trimmed stems of pampas grass plumes laying on brick sidewalk

Next just remove any foliage on the stems of the pampas grass reeds.

There won’t be too much but you want them to be smooth when drying.

Step 3 – Prevent Shedding with Hairspray

hands holding pampas grass plume outside spraying with hairspray

First I gave the pampas grass reed a good shake to get rid of as much excess plume shedding as I could.

Then I grabbed a can of hairspray and gave each pampas grass plume a generous misting.

That’s it…so simple!

Now they were ready to style and “dry” in the vase.

How Did I Display My Pampas Grass?

dining room table with table settings and centerpiece with two glass vase bottles filled with dried pampas grass china cabinet behind table and window to right side of room

I used my long wood tray and glass bottleneck vases filled with pampas grass as a centerpiece in my dining room.

Adding some additional natural elements like pinecones and orbs give the tablescape a cozy neutral feel.

And I just love how the pampas grass looks in my dining room tablescape!

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You can see how I used the same staple decor pieces in my spring tablescape here.

hanging basket filled with fall flowers on door in foyer area rug in front of door table with mirror above to side of door with large glass vase filled with pampas grass and basket filled pillows on other side

In our foyer, I placed some of the largest pampas grass plumes in an extra-large amber glass bottleneck vase on the floor.

Remember when I styled this amber bottle at the beginning of fall?

Well, I found another dark amber bottle that coordinated better with the small antique amber bottles.

I was happy I had two big vases so I could use the extra one for the pampas grass.

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Because I just love them here in our entryway as much as in the dining room!

Which do you prefer?

The dining room or the foyer?

Let’s vote! Tell us in comments below which is your favorite.

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