Yes, go for it.

I picked some plumes about 3 years ago and they looked fine for about 2 days then I had fine feathery 'bits' everywhere.....based on my experience I would leave them, where they belong, in the garden.

The trick is to pick them before they produce seed - which is what had happened to yours, Johnp58, and that's exactly what happens when you bring them inside. Prior to seed production, they don't drop bits everywhere, well not until they're old (couple of years).

I had a sprayed 'bulrush' for years until a child grabbed it. seed everywhere. we had to laugh.

SBG you made me laugh - I picked some once and left them (unsprayed) in a plastic carrier bag in a cupboard and forgot them. When we found them ---what a mess!

Masie: you cut them as soon as they're fully opened out, and within a week, no longer.

It wasn't me who sprayed them, it was Seaburngirl. And it was bulrushes we were talking about - sorry to go off subject!

Leave a couple for the birds if you can bear to, Masie - I used to get great pleasure out of watching them collect bits of it to line their nests in spring. Yes, you have to put up with looking at a wreck during winter, cos they get battered over winter, but its worth it.