On 12/01/2012 02:09, Terry Deans wrote:
'Jeff Layman[_2_ Wrote:
;946967']On 06/01/2012 18:42, Terry Deans wrote:-
Anyone got any tried and tested methods to rid an area off these
plants
and corms please? All around tree and shrub/hedging too. Lovely orange
flowers but now just a jungle and invasive. My idea was to do the
'just
dig them all out' method. Can there be any other way? Prob not. Just
wanna be sure they don't return cos I know how persistent these wee
fellas can be!! Thanks anybody.-

Although it looks attractive, crocosmia is an invasive weed once it gets

going. It spreads by its corms underground and by the cormlets above
ground There are some cultivars which are better behaved, I am led to
believe (but I am staying clear of crocosmia!).

You cannot dig them out. The corms break up underground and you may end

up with an even worse problem (muscari are similar)! Spray the plants
with glyphosate at the recommended strength. Wait two weeks and spray
them again. After another week they should be showing signs of
yellowing. If any aren't, spray them again. Whenever new green growth

appears respray. After 6 months or so you should be free of the plants,

but there may be some hangers on, so treat these as soon as you see
them. Once the glyphosate has done its thing, there is no need to dig

what's left out.

--

Jeff

Thanks Jeff,

Great answer. I knew it would be a challenge.I know from experience that
they are stubborn survivors if you want to clear them. A friend wants me
to clear them out of a shrub and tree/hedged border in order to refresh
with new plants.

It's a area totaling about 70m2. I was a little fearful of the poisoning
approach due to the proximity of the other remaining shrubs etc.They may
just have to come out too, and temporarily re-located, to make the
'killing' effective as the crocosmia are growing in and amongst them.

That /is/ a large area! Would it be possible to wrap the lower parts of
any evergreen shrubs in polythene (or even clingfilm) to protect them
when you spray? Or, failing that - and although it might look unsightly
- prune the lower 50cm or so of the shrubs so that the bottom part is
bare. Either should be enough to allow you to spray the crocosmia
without fear of damaging the shrubs through glyphosate absorption via
the leaves.

The trouble with temporary relocation is that you are quite likely to
carry bits of crocosmia root over to the new site, which will just get
transferred back when you replant the shrubs! And you might have
introduced it to the relocation site! Not good...

Could be a long term project if they are serious and determined enough
to go through with it. So i'll suggest Plan B now!

Good luck. You are going to need it.

--

Jeff