I've read that warm season grasses should be growing when the corn is coming up... but I've also read where you should give them time to wake up before getting rid of them. This year I had a Hameln that wasn't showing any signs of life and dug it around the first of June. There wasn't any white roots like when you transplant a living plant from a pot ~ the roots were brown or tan but I went ahead and gave it a temporary spot in the vegetable garden although I really think it's a goner. :(

Warm season grasses should be showing growth by now at varying rates.

grass_lover: Hameln never flourished in my zone 5a garden, so I dug it up and planted it in my Dad's zone 6 garden where it is doing well. I think zone 5a is "iffy" for most of the Pennisetums.

I know BruMeta, but I love the fountains too much to give up on them. We actually had a zone 6 winter last year and my Moudry and full sized fountain grasses both lived. I think I lost the Hameln from the clay it was planted in since it had a large clay ball attached to the roots.~~ It might be looking for trouble, but I mixed in dirt from the garden and planted another one... :) Now all I have to do is cross my fingers!