Pampas Grass- a bit long, feel free to ignore!

[TonyF]

and setting fire to the thing will not kill it - in the wild these things use the fire to regenerate themselves.

[Flummery]

Hmmm. My new Dalek home is a way off yet then? Still, I always reckon if I can't defeat a plant I'm a pretty poor human bean.

[Paul Wagland]

I've got a new plan, and I think it's foolproof. We'll need a hot-air balloon, a tame rhino and some demolition charges. Who's in?!

[Pumpkin Becki]

This is all sounding a bit 'Day of the Triffids' to me!!

[Birdie Wife]

Does it have to be an organic way? Would Glyphosate not work? Mix it up with some washing liquid in there to help it stick to the leaves and spray/paint it on a calm cloudy day.

I think I might know someone who can get some demolition charges though... Snake? Are you there? not too sure about the tame rhino though...

[Flummery]

I think I'll have to use something to kill the roots Birdie Wife. However, until I can hack me way through to them there's not much point. Got a sackful carted off this morning by my son-in-law - the tip is on his way home. In the high wind we have here now there's not much point in trying to cut it back further - I'd be chasing the bits around the county! Next calm (dry) day I'm back there. Thanks for all the suggestions (with the possible exception of the rhino!)

[JennieAtkinson]

One of the reasons why everyone grows them here is that they ARE indestructible. We have to have that kind of plant/shrub/tree up here.

Good luck Flum!

[bramble]

I took one out of my front garden about 5 years ago. I used a spade, a secateurs and a pickaxe. It took me two days. Never ever again.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I took one out of my front garden about 5 years ago. I used a spade, a secateurs and a pickaxe. It took me two days. Never ever again.

Hmmm Bramble, do you realise what you've just admitted to?? (see Alison's post yesterday -Tee Hee)

[Flummery]

I hope never to do it again Bramble. I wouldn't be doing it once if I hadn't inherited the infestation! Stopped for the mo because in this wind if flying shards of leaf hit someone in the face they'd be lacerated and scarred for life (and that someone might be me!)

[HeyWayne]

Have you tried playing rock music to it?

Is Music Neutral?

[Palustris]

Heavens we have 9 of them in the Prairie Garden. I like them.
The one we did remove as being in the wrong place came out quite easily as compared to removing a tree for example. The roots are easily cut with loppers and are not persistent in the same way as couch grass.

[Flummery]

It's gone! After a couple more sessions of cutting it as low as I could with the loppers I went out this afternoon to finish the deed! I had a long handled sharp spade, a border fork and me trusty loppers (and a very tough pair of gloves!). I removed the remaining dross from the far side (the side I've never been able to reach before!) and found a slumbering tiggy, which I covered up again with plenty of dried stuff. From the side I could easily reach I started to chop at the roots under the clump and then sink the fork into the centre and lever it about till I heard roots tear. I removed a bit at a time like this - some of it I practically unscrewed! However, only fibrous bits of root are left and I can't see it coming back from those - especially when covered in daleks full of compost. Thanks to everyone for their advice and encouragement - except the bit about the swingers! Wish I hadn't known that!

[nick the grief]

A mini digger would have been quicker ... then you could have split it up in to smaller chunks potted them up and taken them to Eskymo for their new front hedge

[Flummery]

Did think of offering them on Ebay - but as usual, couldn't be mithered!