UK gardening - Two pampas grass questions

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Two pampas grass questions

tina

2007-03-26, 9:25 am

Hi,
Is it possible to reduce the diameter of a pampas grass plant? Ours is
about 4ft in diameter and I'd like to reduce it in size. If it is
posible what do you use...a saw?

I have just cut it back and wondered whats the best thing to do with
the blasted razor edged clippings. Can they be put on the compost?

Thanks

Sue

2007-03-26, 1:25 pm

"tina" <attv9@dsl.pipex.com> wrote > Hi,
> Is it possible to reduce the diameter of a pampas grass plant? Ours is
> about 4ft in diameter and I'd like to reduce it in size. If it is
> posible what do you use...a saw?

Remembering how hard a job it was to get rid of two moderately sized
clumps of pampas when we first moved to our present home, I'd say Semtex
or a JCB. ;)

Seriously, you need saw and probably a pickaxe or a mattock to chop
lumps out, as the base of an old clump is tough and solid.

> I have just cut it back and wondered whats the best thing to do with
> the blasted razor edged clippings. Can they be put on the compost?

They'll compost down mixed with other material. Chop up with shears, or
if you have a shredder, put it through that. Wear tough gloves for
protection!

--
Sue

Nick Maclaren

2007-03-26, 1:25 pm

In article <u4lf035hjrdphgma1bqg682cc7071nrhfe@4ax.com>,
tina <attv9@dsl.pipex.com> writes:
|>
|> Is it possible to reduce the diameter of a pampas grass plant? Ours is
|> about 4ft in diameter and I'd like to reduce it in size. If it is
|> posible what do you use...a saw?

In theory. I will now repeat rather a good form of an old quote I
heard last week:

The difference between theory and practice is less in theory
than it is in practice.

|> I have just cut it back and wondered whats the best thing to do with
|> the blasted razor edged clippings. Can they be put on the compost?

Yes, but you are risking your hands in the future. I recommend putting
them in a large polythene bag, making sure that they are damp, and
forgetting about them. If they rot down, well and good. If not, let
them dry out later in the year and burn the beggars. Of chuck them in
the green bin, if you have such a thing.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Phil L

2007-03-26, 5:25 pm

Sue wrote:
> "tina" <attv9@dsl.pipex.com> wrote > Hi,
>
> Remembering how hard a job it was to get rid of two moderately sized
> clumps of pampas when we first moved to our present home, I'd say
> Semtex or a JCB. ;)
>

I can safely say that the latter doesn't work.
We hired a digger and driver to excavate an extension last October, a huge
pampas was right on the edge of one of the cuts, he scraped at it, dug
around it and eventually left the stump there...we built alongside it and it
got covered in several layers of mortar, gravel and eventually stone and it
was driven over forty or fifty times by an excavator.

It's just started sending up new shoots.

Sacha

2007-03-26, 8:25 pm

On 26/3/07 20:56, in article FzVNh.196$NK2.105@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk,
"Phil L" <neverchecked@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Sue wrote:
>
> I can safely say that the latter doesn't work.
> We hired a digger and driver to excavate an extension last October, a huge
> pampas was right on the edge of one of the cuts, he scraped at it, dug
> around it and eventually left the stump there...we built alongside it and it
> got covered in several layers of mortar, gravel and eventually stone and it
> was driven over forty or fifty times by an excavator.
>
> It's just started sending up new shoots.

I've said this more than once on here; to get rid of mine in a previous
house I hired a mini-digger a driver and acquired a pond where the pampas
was.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

John McMillan

2007-03-27, 9:25 am

In article <u4lf035hjrdphgma1bqg682cc7071nrhfe@4ax.com>,
tina <attv9@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> Is it possible to reduce the diameter of a pampas grass plant? Ours is
> about 4ft in diameter and I'd like to reduce it in size. If it is
> posible what do you use...a saw?
>

I've found a serrated breadknife is quite good for cutting bamboo
clumps.

Chris Hogg

2007-03-27, 1:25 pm

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:14:37 +0100, tina <attv9@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Hi,
>Is it possible to reduce the diameter of a pampas grass plant? Ours is
>about 4ft in diameter and I'd like to reduce it in size. If it is
>posible what do you use...a saw?
>
>I have just cut it back and wondered whats the best thing to do with
>the blasted razor edged clippings. Can they be put on the compost?
>
>Thanks
>
IME the centres of large clumps tend to be dead, but this will become
clearer when you get into it. Cut down the fronds (I used an electric
hedge trimmer, but sharp shears will do), then go at it with a grub
axe (a heavy mattock with an axe blade on the other side). A _sharp_
spade and a pick might do. I dug a trench all round the perimeter with
a spade, then cut under with the grub axe, and hack it out in smallish
chunks. They're not deep rooted. 4ft in diameter is a baby!

You might find it simpler to take out the whole thing, and then select
a healthy chunk and replant it in the centre of the 'hole'. Mine went
onto the compost heap, roots and all. I'll let you know next year if
it rotted!

--
Chris

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

Steve Wolstenholme

2007-03-27, 1:25 pm

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