I'm new to the NG and new to gardening, so I really could use some help
here. We've just moved into a house, and the previous owners planted vinca
minor in about 4 different places. It's starting to overtake some of the
shrubs, so we're taking it out to plant some perinialls. (sp?). Right now,
I'm just digging it up, by hand. My husband suggested tilling it up. I
don't think that will work, since these are small areas. I've surfed the
'net and the best thing I've found is just to dig it up. Am I missing
something? And do I need to dig up all those little-bitty-tiny roots, too?
Vinca minor is pretty, I'll admit, but when let go, like the previous owners
did, it takes over everything it sees! Am I on the right track to just dig
it up, or is there another way....without damaging the soil for the new
flowers to be planted. :-) Any advice would be appreciated.


--
Deb in AR
A desert-rat at heart!

Good Luck getting rid of it, I know of one lady who tried to remove
it, and short of dropping a NUKE on it, no way.


--
Dragons Must Fly when Thread's in the Sky

www.starlords.org

"Deb in AR" wrote in message
m...
I'm new to the NG and new to gardening, so I really could use some
help
here. We've just moved into a house, and the previous owners
planted vinca
minor in about 4 different places. It's starting to overtake some
of the
shrubs, so we're taking it out to plant some perinialls. (sp?).
Right now,
I'm just digging it up, by hand. My husband suggested tilling it
up. I
don't think that will work, since these are small areas. I've
surfed the
'net and the best thing I've found is just to dig it up. Am I
missing
something? And do I need to dig up all those little-bitty-tiny
roots, too?
Vinca minor is pretty, I'll admit, but when let go, like the
previous owners
did, it takes over everything it sees! Am I on the right track to
just dig
it up, or is there another way....without damaging the soil for the
new
flowers to be planted. :-) Any advice would be appreciated.


--
Deb in AR
A desert-rat at heart!






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.614 / Virus Database: 393 - Release Date: 3/5/04

Ok...so anybody got a Nuke? LOL

--
Deb in AR
A desert-rat at heart!


"Starlord" wrote in message
...
Good Luck getting rid of it, I know of one lady who tried to remove
it, and short of dropping a NUKE on it, no way.


--
Dragons Must Fly when Thread's in the Sky

www.starlords.org

"Deb in AR" wrote in message
m...
I'm new to the NG and new to gardening, so I really could use some
help
here. We've just moved into a house, and the previous owners
planted vinca
minor in about 4 different places. It's starting to overtake some
of the
shrubs, so we're taking it out to plant some perinialls. (sp?).
Right now,
I'm just digging it up, by hand. My husband suggested tilling it
up. I
don't think that will work, since these are small areas. I've
surfed the
'net and the best thing I've found is just to dig it up. Am I
missing
something? And do I need to dig up all those little-bitty-tiny
roots, too?
Vinca minor is pretty, I'll admit, but when let go, like the
previous owners
did, it takes over everything it sees! Am I on the right track to
just dig
it up, or is there another way....without damaging the soil for the
new
flowers to be planted. :-) Any advice would be appreciated.


--
Deb in AR
A desert-rat at heart!






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.614 / Virus Database: 393 - Release Date: 3/5/04

"Deb in AR" expounded:

I'm new to the NG and new to gardening, so I really could use some help
here. We've just moved into a house, and the previous owners planted vinca
minor in about 4 different places. It's starting to overtake some of the
shrubs, so we're taking it out to plant some perinialls. (sp?). Right now,
I'm just digging it up, by hand. My husband suggested tilling it up. I
don't think that will work, since these are small areas. I've surfed the
'net and the best thing I've found is just to dig it up. Am I missing
something? And do I need to dig up all those little-bitty-tiny roots, too?
Vinca minor is pretty, I'll admit, but when let go, like the previous owners
did, it takes over everything it sees! Am I on the right track to just dig
it up, or is there another way....without damaging the soil for the new
flowers to be planted. :-) Any advice would be appreciated.

You have to pull it, and pull it, and pull it (did I mention pull it?)
until it's gone. It'll resprout from runners below the soil. Get a
good garden claw and plunge it into where you see a central growth
point, use the claw to pull the rootball out, then follow the runners,
using the claw to pull each rooted piece as you go. It can be done,
but it's tedious.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Deb in AR" expounded:

I'm new to the NG and new to gardening, so I really could use some help
here. We've just moved into a house, and the previous owners planted
vinca
minor in about 4 different places. It's starting to overtake some of the
shrubs, so we're taking it out to plant some perinialls. (sp?). Right
now,
I'm just digging it up, by hand. My husband suggested tilling it up. I
don't think that will work, since these are small areas. I've surfed the
'net and the best thing I've found is just to dig it up. Am I missing
something? And do I need to dig up all those little-bitty-tiny roots,
too?
Vinca minor is pretty, I'll admit, but when let go, like the previous
owners
did, it takes over everything it sees! Am I on the right track to just
dig
it up, or is there another way....without damaging the soil for the new
flowers to be planted. :-) Any advice would be appreciated.

You have to pull it, and pull it, and pull it (did I mention pull it?)
until it's gone. It'll resprout from runners below the soil. Get a
good garden claw and plunge it into where you see a central growth
point, use the claw to pull the rootball out, then follow the runners,
using the claw to pull each rooted piece as you go. It can be done,
but it's tedious.

Lest all fear to plant vinca minor as a result of this thread, we have a
variety that spreads via above-ground stems. It is very easy to control.
As a matter of fact, I've had to give it a bit of a helping hand to spread a
little faster.

Jim

"Jim Voege" expounded:

Lest all fear to plant vinca minor as a result of this thread, we have a
variety that spreads via above-ground stems. It is very easy to control.
As a matter of fact, I've had to give it a bit of a helping hand to spread a
little faster.

Actually I've got it in one spot in my side yard, and it pretty much
stays there. I've been down to Madgardener's garden, though, and seen
what she's up against. Must be the climate, I guess. Others have
such a problem with it, I think it's pretty.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Jim Voege" expounded:

Lest all fear to plant vinca minor as a result of this thread, we have a
variety that spreads via above-ground stems. It is very easy to control.
As a matter of fact, I've had to give it a bit of a helping hand to
spread a
little faster.

Actually I've got it in one spot in my side yard, and it pretty much
stays there. I've been down to Madgardener's garden, though, and seen
what she's up against. Must be the climate, I guess. Others have
such a problem with it, I think it's pretty.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Jim Voege" expounded:

Lest all fear to plant vinca minor as a result of this thread, we have a
variety that spreads via above-ground stems. It is very easy to control.
As a matter of fact, I've had to give it a bit of a helping hand to
spread a
little faster.

Actually I've got it in one spot in my side yard, and it pretty much
stays there. I've been down to Madgardener's garden, though, and seen
what she's up against. Must be the climate, I guess. Others have
such a problem with it, I think it's pretty.
--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

I'd love to have more vinca growing and wish it was able to overtake the
English ivy. I started to think that I was getting my wish until I
discovered that what I took to be especially agressive vinca was actually
Euonymus fortunei which is now threatening to take over every tree and wall.
And even that won't go where the ivy is growing....
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"Jim Voege" expounded:

Lest all fear to plant vinca minor as a result of this thread, we have a
variety that spreads via above-ground stems. It is very easy to control.
As a matter of fact, I've had to give it a bit of a helping hand to
spread a
little faster.

Actually I've got it in one spot in my side yard, and it pretty much
stays there. I've been down to Madgardener's garden, though, and seen
what she's up against. Must be the climate, I guess. Others have
such a problem with it, I think it's pretty.

Indeed. I use it to dress up the floor of those areas of the yard that are
too shady for grass, although at the cottage we had it growing on the face
of a steep, quite sandy bank facing south with lots of reflection from the
nearby water. A mass of pretty blue flowers in the spring and shiny dark
green foliage throughout the year. Quite happy on a yearly diet of no more
than fallen leaves. My kind of plant. :-)

However, we are talking about the variety that spreads above ground. Makes
all the difference in the world.

Jim