I am soon moving into a new house. It has a 7 foot pampas grass plant
bang in front of the lounge window.
I wish to remove the pampas grass.

What is the best procedure -- chop back to 3 inches, then dig out?
How deep are the roots on these things?

Thanks
Bruce

In article ,
(bruce phipps) writes:
| I am soon moving into a new house. It has a 7 foot pampas grass plant
| bang in front of the lounge window.
| I wish to remove the pampas grass.
|
| What is the best procedure -- chop back to 3 inches, then dig out?

Yup.

| How deep are the roots on these things?

Not very - it is a grass. But they spread some way and are fairly
matted.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

| How deep are the roots on these things?

Not very - it is a grass. But they spread some way and are fairly
matted.

"fairly matted"!? I had to take a felling axe to ours, to split it up
into small enough pieces to be lifted into the barrow. Weighed a ton.
But marginally easier than the rootstock of a tree of the same diameter!

Cheers
John

"John" wrote in message
...
| How deep are the roots on these things?

Not very - it is a grass. But they spread some way and are fairly
matted.

"fairly matted"!? I had to take a felling axe to ours, to split it up
into small enough pieces to be lifted into the barrow. Weighed a ton.
But marginally easier than the rootstock of a tree of the same diameter!

Cheers
John

i`d agree with john

my dad ended up using the chainsaw to cut ours up - its amazing really
it has only been in for 5 years and we need to move it from near the front
path

it was split into four largish clumps(and heavy) which
did really well in their new positions - making sure they were well-watered
for their first year

how long has yours been in

twiglet

On 17/11/04 3:04 pm, in article
, "John"
wrote:

| How deep are the roots on these things?

Not very - it is a grass. But they spread some way and are fairly
matted.

"fairly matted"!? I had to take a felling axe to ours, to split it up
into small enough pieces to be lifted into the barrow. Weighed a ton.
But marginally easier than the rootstock of a tree of the same diameter!


I so hated the one in my last garden that I hired a mini-digger (and its
driver!) and had the whole thing dug out and then its site deepened and
widened to make a pond!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Sacha wrote:
On 17/11/04 3:04 pm, in article
, "John"
wrote:

How deep are the roots on these things?

Not very - it is a grass. But they spread some way and are
fairly
matted.

"fairly matted"!? I had to take a felling axe to ours, to split it
up
into small enough pieces to be lifted into the barrow. Weighed a
ton.
But marginally easier than the rootstock of a tree of the same
diameter!


I so hated the one in my last garden that I hired a mini-digger
(and
its driver!) and had the whole thing dug out and then its site
deepened and widened to make a pond!

Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me, dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't visualize.

Mike.

On 17/11/04 6:21 pm, in article , "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

snip

Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me, dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't visualize.

Mike.


I think from my pov it's because they're all-too-often planted in small
gardens in suburban locations and so, in my mind, are forever associated
with that. But that said, I just don't find anything beautiful in them at
all, not one single thing and I've felt like that since I was a child. I
don't think I've ever expressed my dislike to my children but my younger
daughter has just bought a house in this village and has 'inherited' two
Pampas grass and wants to wage all-out war on them! She might be able to
get one out but the other is in her back garden, slap up against the fence
on one side and a wall above a terrace on the other and with no access for a
min-digger, unless we take the farmer's fence down. Hmmmmm....... ;-))
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

I have a huge pond, a third of an acre and they look great on the far bank
reflected in the water.
They are planted with Rogersias, Rheum's and the obligatory Gunneras and
provide great plumes for my little boys to run about with
every plant has its place doesn't it?


"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 17/11/04 6:21 pm, in article , "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

snip

Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me, dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't visualize.

Mike.


I think from my pov it's because they're all-too-often planted in small
gardens in suburban locations and so, in my mind, are forever associated
with that. But that said, I just don't find anything beautiful in them at
all, not one single thing and I've felt like that since I was a child. I
don't think I've ever expressed my dislike to my children but my younger
daughter has just bought a house in this village and has 'inherited' two
Pampas grass and wants to wage all-out war on them! She might be able to
get one out but the other is in her back garden, slap up against the fence
on one side and a wall above a terrace on the other and with no access for
a
min-digger, unless we take the farmer's fence down. Hmmmmm....... ;-))
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me, dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't visualize.

I'd like one in a *VAST* pot.

But not on my windowsill.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

I think from my pov it's because they're all-too-often planted in small
gardens in suburban locations and so, in my mind, are forever associated
with that. But that said, I just don't find anything beautiful in them at
all, not one single thing and I've felt like that since I was a child. I
don't think I've ever expressed my dislike to my children but my younger
daughter has just bought a house in this village and has 'inherited' two
Pampas grass and wants to wage all-out war on them! She might be able to
get one out but the other is in her back garden, slap up against the fence
on one side and a wall above a terrace on the other and with no access for a
min-digger, unless we take the farmer's fence down. Hmmmmm....... ;-))

Glyphosate in the spring, then cover it with the makings of a compost
heap, cover that with straw, cardboard, cut hair from the hairdresser,
(Mens' is favourite as it's usually shorter.) old woollen carpet, etc,
then water well - weel? - and cover with black plastic and peg it down.

By the autumn you'll have a plot of marvellous friable ground and lots
of very smug worms.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On 17 Nov 2004 06:05:36 -0800, (bruce phipps)
wrote:

I am soon moving into a new house. It has a 7 foot pampas grass plant
bang in front of the lounge window.
I wish to remove the pampas grass.

What is the best procedure -- chop back to 3 inches, then dig out?
How deep are the roots on these things?

Thanks
Bruce

Get well togged up with protective clothing and heavy garden gloves:
the 'leaves' have very sharp edges. Then cut it down as low as you can
with sharp garden shears (a hedge trimmer might do). Then hack out the
stump bit by bit with a grub-axe (like a pick-axe, but with a mattock
blade on one side and an axe blade on the other). Go round the edge,
gradually making it a smaller and smaller clump. The roots only go
down a few inches. Took me less than an hour to take out a 5 foot
pampas (but I was absolutely knackered for the rest of the day!)


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 17/11/04 6:21 pm, in article ,
"Mike
Lyle" wrote:

snip

Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me,
dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't
visualize.

[...other contributions cut, with apols...]

Keith Alexander wrote:
I have a huge pond, a third of an acre and they look great on the
far
bank reflected in the water.
They are planted with Rogersias, Rheum's and the obligatory
Gunneras
and provide great plumes for my little boys to run about with
every plant has its place doesn't it?

(Top-posting reversed.)

I think you've got it! Not at all its native associations, but I can
visualize your design. How long have yours been in there, by the way?
Do they tend to invade, and crowd out the rheums? (I can't imagine
even they are a match for the gunneras, but it might be an
interesting fight.) I'd want to put a lot of spring bulbs there to
provide early interest. You're very lucky: my ponds were on the
northern wrong side of established broad-leafed trees.

Mike.

Janet Baraclough.. wrote:
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains
these
words:


Why is it that otherwise almost-rational people, such as me,
dislike
the things? Is it just the way they're planted, do you think? I
suspect I could like them in certain situations, but can't
visualize.

IMHO they look miserable, isolated in a little round hole in the
middle of a lawn. I didn't fall for pampas until I saw it planted
in
large drifts, looking dramatic and vibrant as scores of creamy
plumes
waver in the breeze.

Our neighbours are lovely, but we want a (tactful) visual screen
between our front gardens. I'm growing a staggered curve of pampas
plants (seedling to dustbin-size in 2 years)) at the back of a
large
boggy bed, behind gunnera manicata, variegated bullrushes, and
purple
phormium.

Now you're talking! It's definitely the suburban "Look at me!"
specimen planting which Fs it up. Like a monkey puzzle, but
fortunately seasonal, and at least has the grace not to reach fifty
feet. Drifts and such is what it wants. (Not that I think a drift of
monkey puzzles would be a good idea: different train of thought.)

Interesting that, like Keith, you have it in association with
gunnera.

Mike.

Oh God, now I know why my neighbour came bearing gifts of split clumps for me. I took two (reluctantly) and fortunately (from all the above) one has died - As we have just spent a lot of time trying to get rid of a rogue fig (no chance of a digger up our steps), I'm going to go for the replacement pond idea - thanks!

jay jay

On 18/11/04 1:03, in article , "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

Janet Baraclough.. wrote:
snip Our neighbours are lovely, but we want a (tactful) visual screen
between our front gardens. I'm growing a staggered curve of pampas
plants (seedling to dustbin-size in 2 years)) at the back of a
large
boggy bed, behind gunnera manicata, variegated bullrushes, and
purple
phormium.

Now you're talking! It's definitely the suburban "Look at me!"
specimen planting which Fs it up. Like a monkey puzzle, but
fortunately seasonal, and at least has the grace not to reach fifty
feet. Drifts and such is what it wants. (Not that I think a drift of
monkey puzzles would be a good idea: different train of thought.)

Interesting that, like Keith, you have it in association with
gunnera.

I think that sort of planting works because both are being given their
architectural heads. Even the one suburban specimen my daughter has in
her back garden acts as a screen to the neighbour's garden - but we both
still hate it! ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)