Pampas Grass???

[no-h]

Hi everyone,

There are two big patches of what I believe to be pampas grass on the allotment and I've asked a couple of the neighbours whether there is a use for them and no-one has come up with anything. Just wondering if you guys know of any use - why would it have been planted? If no use also any ideas how to get rid as I spent an hour trying to dig the small patch out as it's in the place I want to put new beds and I feel it's just laughing at me!

No-h

[Kleftiwallah]

If you're good with your hands you could have a go at making some roller blind / sunshades for the greenhouse.

Collect the 'reeds' and lay a few out on a flat surface wind wire round and offer up a second few reeds and do the same with the wire but the other way round, carry on 'till all reed is used up.

Cheers, Tony.

[Barking Postlethwaite]

Pampas grass is good for taunting cats. If you break off a long flowering stem and waggle it, a cat will chase the feathery end for hours and hours like an idiot. Good fun for all involved.

[bearded bloke]

Using the heads for decoration (in a dried flower/grass arrangement) may be an option.

Tis not that bad to get rid off,cut it all off to about a metre high (hedge cutter/shears),then cut it as close to the ground as possible (in my case with a chainsaw) the dig the root out in sections,using two forks back to back

[scarey55]

We had one in our front garden and, whilst we were able to give it a haircut almost to the ground (wearing protective clothing), we never did manage to get rid of it. The birds used to love it though, they used the flowers/seed heads/fluffy stuff (technical term there ) for nesting material. Other than that, I can't help I'm afraid.

[Alison]

The only thing about pampas grass I know (or was always told) was that apparently if you plant it in your front garden then other erm swingers will know to come a calling............ Not sure what that means about your plot though, didn't know there were THAT kind of plots!

[no-h]

Hahaha that's awesome Alison! I've never heard that. Well apparently the last few owners of the plot have only stayed for a few weeks before giving it up or abandoning it as the last one did. Maybe the swinging scene wasn't as good as they thought it was going to be when they viewed the plot - they are huge areas of pampas grass :-o

[scarey55]

The only thing about pampas grass I know (or was always told) was that apparently if you plant it in your front garden then other erm swingers will know to come a calling............ Not sure what that means about your plot though, didn't know there were THAT kind of plots!

... why do you think we were trying to get rid of it

[veggiechicken]

You could try burning off the top growth as its vicious stuff to handle. Then prise it out - Good luck

[Bren In Pots]

You could offer it on Freecycle that's how we got rid of ours.

[alldigging]

Wear gloves ! It's nasty stuff!

I too have heard the swingers rumour

[Glutton4...]

I have heard the 'swingers' tale too! My ex-neighbour managed to get rid of a large clump of it, by cutting it down to about six inches high (google it, if you're young! ), adding flammable material, dousing with Petrol, and setting light to it. He then dug out what was left, at the end of the following day, and burned it on his bonfire. It didn't come back. It often does, though, so you have to do it 'properly' to get rid of it. Good luck!