Pampas Grass

Not been here for a while, been busy designing garden and chasing kids away from it!

We have a massive pampas grass bush in the front garden. It really is huge, a diameter of about 10 feet, the main bush about 7 feet high with the plumes reaching twice that height. I love the thing! I have read that pampas grass should be cut back to just a few inches above ground in spring before the new growth begins. For this season it is too late by now anyway, but I was wonderin, will the grass really be coming back as vigorous as it stands if I do not cut it back? Because it would be a real shame if it didn't. (Currently what I do is to remove as many as possible of the yellow leaves at some point in summer, usually, when the new plumes appear and I cut the unsightly ones from last year out.)

More importantly, how do I dispose of five armfulls of razor sharp pampas grass leaves and plumes if I cut the whole thing down at once? All very well chopping up just a few handfuls of the leaves to fit them in the council's compost bin, but all of it at once? I don't have a compost heap either, just a compost barrel (although I am thinking of making a heap instead when re-doing the garden this year).

 

You could put them in black bin bags. Water well and make some drainage/aeration holes. I do this with all my garden refuse. In time it will rot down and make good compost. But this method is only of any real value if you have an out of the way spot to leave them in. They will take a year or more. Or you could use them as a tempory holding place till you have got your compost heap. I find the advantage is that you can have as many bags as you want, and they are easy to handle.

 

the leaves are so difficult to compost i always bin them, or take em to the coup [aka amenity centre]

 

Exactly what I mean LG, they are really tricky to handle - and would fill loads of binbags - I would not have the room for that. And like I said, I would probably end up with like 5 armfuls - I would need to hire a van to get the stuff to the amenity site, I only have a wee 206!

Been thinking, these machines that chop up branches and things, can you hire them? And what are they called in English anyway *blushing icon*?

 

shredders, not worth the hire cost, you can make several trips to amenity site with the leaves

 

Having thinned mine out yesterday of plumes and leaves I now have just two large black plastic bags full and they will stay in them until next year when I use it to line the bottom of my empty compost bins...before I bagged it I ran the rotary mower over the lot several times on a high setting. Used to set fire to it but now it's so big I'm frightened I'll set the Avenue on fire too :D

 

i feel for your neighbours, they have gone thru h*ll

 

Paladin, that's what I usually do, thin it out, plumes and yellow leaves - the lawnmower "trip" is a good idea, will try that.
I would never dare to burn something like that! Although I am amazed at the amount of garden fires in this country - in my native Germany you would be jailed if you burned garden waste like that! Environmental issues...

 

At the right time of year your best bet is to use hedge cutters to bring it down to knee height, but I think you're probably best to do as suggested for this time. But definitely wear glove, long sleeves and trousers!!

 

child deterrent ....... why dont you set up a garden hose and wait till these kids come along then turn it on full blast ........ im not suggesting you add any dylon to it of course!

 

I would burn these naste sharp bits of grass you can still spead the ash on you garden aftewards. I like to get loads of rubbish together at once and have a bonefire of a sunday pm. If you dont have a lot of room use an old metal dustbin to burn them in.

 

I spent yesterday evening tidying up mine. I also found that there is a gap between my shirt sleeve and my gloves. Wow!, my wrists are sore, must get some gauntlets.

I'll put the old leaves & plumes into the brown top wheely bin and let the council compost them.

I have compost heaps, but things like that are too much hassle for me.

 

ive read that signature many times, and now i see a double meaning!

 

It's taken long enough, TLG!!