Two pampas grass questions
 

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

Two pampas grass questions
 

"tina" 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

Two pampas grass questions
 

In article ,
tina 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.

Two pampas grass questions
 

Sue wrote:
"tina" 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. ;)


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.

Two pampas grass questions
 

On 26/3/07 20:56, in article ,
"Phil L" wrote:

Sue wrote:
"tina" 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. ;)


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)

Danae racemosa [was Two pampas grass questions]
 

I have the delight of needing to reduce a 25 year old clump of Danae
racemosa (c. 3' across at the base). While that will be less of a
bloodbath, it isn't going to be any easier. The problem is that I
don't just want to get rid of it, as I want to replant some and give
some away.

Any ideas welcome :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Danae racemosa [was Two pampas grass questions]
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

I have the delight of needing to reduce a 25 year old clump of Danae
racemosa (c. 3' across at the base). While that will be less of a
bloodbath, it isn't going to be any easier. The problem is that I
don't just want to get rid of it, as I want to replant some and give
some away.

Any ideas welcome :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

That's the plant that does a good impression of a cross between a posh
Laurel and an Aucuba?
AFAIK it spreads by runners (rhizomes?) so it should be easy to grab a few
healthy bits. I might be wrong but I think the plant is fairly shallow
rooted.

Two pampas grass questions
 

In article ,
tina 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.

Danae racemosa [was Two pampas grass questions]
 

In article ,
"Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" writes:
|
| That's the plant that does a good impression of a cross between a posh
| Laurel and an Aucuba?

Not really. It is a vastly posher form of butcher's broom. It is THE
best plant for cut foliage.

| AFAIK it spreads by runners (rhizomes?) so it should be easy to grab a few
| healthy bits. I might be wrong but I think the plant is fairly shallow
| rooted.

No, it doesn't. It forms a dense mat of thick roots. You are right
that it is shallow rooted, but a 3' diameter lump 1' thick weighs
what? More than I can lift at my time of life ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Danae racemosa [was Two pampas grass questions]
 

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" writes:
|
| That's the plant that does a good impression of a cross between a posh
| Laurel and an Aucuba?

Not really. It is a vastly posher form of butcher's broom. It is THE
best plant for cut foliage.

| AFAIK it spreads by runners (rhizomes?) so it should be easy to grab a
few
| healthy bits. I might be wrong but I think the plant is fairly shallow
| rooted.

No, it doesn't. It forms a dense mat of thick roots. You are right
that it is shallow rooted, but a 3' diameter lump 1' thick weighs
what? More than I can lift at my time of life ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Can't be bovered to do the pi r*2 bit along with soil density. I agree it
will be heavy. A very sharp spade perhaps or a chain saw (bushmans saw) :-)

Danae racemosa [was Two pampas grass questions]
 

In article ,
"Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" writes:
|
| Can't be bovered to do the pi r*2 bit along with soil density. I agree it
| will be heavy. A very sharp spade perhaps or a chain saw (bushmans saw) :-)

What's wrong with a bit of mental arithmetic? Call it a quarter of a
ton. I shall use the former, but any saw I use will be with no moving
parts.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Two pampas grass questions
 

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:14:37 +0100, tina 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

Two pampas grass questions
 

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:14:37 +0100, tina 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


After a few of weeks hacking away at a huge pampas grass plant one of
my neighbours stacked a bonfire on top of it and set fire to it. It
hasn't regrown yet but I'm told it can survive most fires.

Checking pampas for inhabitants before the fire was another major
task.

Steve