Getting rid of phormiums

[Laura Corin]

We have three phormiums in a row. They are a muddy mid-green and ar
about three feet tall and the same wide. They must have been in plac
for at least five years, but probably much longer. We'd like to get ri
of them and lay a lawn there. Do we need to dig them out or can we jus
weedkill them and turf over the dead roots? There's nothing around the
that would be damaged by glyphosate. The lawn does not have to b
perfect.

Thanks.

Laur


--
Laura Corin

[echinosum]

Post by Laura Corin
We have three phormiums in a row. They are a muddy mid-green and ar
about three feet tall and the same wide. They must have been in plac
for at least five years, but probably much longer. We'd like to get ri
of them and lay a lawn there. Do we need to dig them out or can we jus
weedkill them and turf over the dead roots? There's nothing around the
that would be damaged by glyphosate. The lawn does not have to b
perfect.

Interesting. Most varieties of phormium died in most places las
winter, the exception being those most similar to the basic phormiu
tenax plain species. But once in that category are usually at least
feet high after 5 years. Even with neglect and a dry location.

I don't know the answer, but I'd try glyphosate. Reason being tha
digging them out is difficult without a mechanical digger. Good time o
year to try


--
echinosum

[Janet Tweedy]

Reason being thatdigging them out is difficult without a mechanical digger. Good time of
year to try.

I dug out a very large Phormium with a pickaxe, sort of chopped off the
outer edges first then worked my way round the plant undercutting it.
Then rocked it and it came out fairly reasonably. It was about 6 foot
tall and about 4 foot wide but the roots didn't go down that far.

Janet

[Laura Corin]

Post by echinosum
Interesting. Most varieties of phormium died in most places las
winter, the exception being those most similar to the basic phormiu
tenax plain species. But once in that category are usually at least
feet high after 5 years. Even with neglect and a dry location.

A local gardening 'expert' was surprised they survived our -1
temperatures last winter. They face full south west onto
south-west-aligned valley, so I suspect that the wind has kept the
small. They are very boring looking, so I suspect they are close to th
species.

Thanks

Laur


--
Laura Corin

['Mike']

We have three phormiums in a row. They are a muddy mid-green and are
about three feet tall and the same wide. They must have been in place
for at least five years, but probably much longer. We'd like to get rid
of them and lay a lawn there. Do we need to dig them out or can we just
weedkill them and turf over the dead roots? There's nothing around them
that would be damaged by glyphosate. The lawn does not have to be
perfect.
Thanks.
Laura

Laura welcome to uk.rec.gardening via gardenbanter :-))

A phormium is a pretty tough cookie. We had one in our little garden which
became a thug. The root formation is pretty solid. We wanted to get rid of
it. I dug down and used a carpenters hand saw to slice down and reduce the
roots to a smaller diameter. It was then lifted out, put in the back of a
pick up truck and taken to my daughter and son in law's walled landscaped
garden. It was 'plonked' into a hole in the ground and is now fine thank you
very much :-))

What am I saying? Dig it out.They are tough :-((

Other 'experts' may have different views. I am only talking from stuff
called 'experience'.

Mike

[Chris Hogg]

On Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:39:51 +0000, Laura Corin

We have three phormiums in a row. They are a muddy mid-green and are
about three feet tall and the same wide. They must have been in place
for at least five years, but probably much longer. We'd like to get rid
of them and lay a lawn there. Do we need to dig them out or can we just
weedkill them and turf over the dead roots? There's nothing around them
that would be damaged by glyphosate. The lawn does not have to be
perfect.
Thanks.
Laura

Oh, tiddlers! They're not deep rooted, and I took out one much bigger
that yours earlier this year with a grub axe* and a spade. Took about
half an hour of hard work.

*bit like a pick axe but with a heavy mattock blade on one side, heavy
axe blade on the other.

[Janet]

In article <***@4ax.com>, ***@privacy.net
says...

Post by Chris Hogg
On Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:39:51 +0000, Laura Corin

We have three phormiums in a row. They are a muddy mid-green and are
about three feet tall and the same wide. They must have been in place
for at least five years, but probably much longer. We'd like to get rid
of them and lay a lawn there. Do we need to dig them out or can we just
weedkill them and turf over the dead roots? There's nothing around them
that would be damaged by glyphosate. The lawn does not have to be
perfect.
Thanks.
Laura

Oh, tiddlers! They're not deep rooted, and I took out one much bigger
that yours earlier this year with a grub axe* and a spade. Took about
half an hour of hard work.

I agree.
Their leaves are so waxy glyphosate probably won't work on them anyway.

Janet