Removing Pampas grass

[JBR]

We have a large well-established growth of Pampas grass in our garden. In the summer, it grows to in excess of 10ft high and spreads out in excess of a yard side to side and back to front.

As usual, I have cut it down almost to ground level, but there remains a lump of solid ground and roots. The garden itself is entirely clay soil which is poor draining.

My wife has decided that she would like an enclosed area of soil at this spot in which she can grow various vegetables and things, as the area is well served by direct sunlight.

I have been ordered to remove the pampas grass remains and would very much appreciate any advice as to how easy (or difficult) it is to dig everything out and how far down to dig.

 

[sodthisforfun]

It's a bit of a pain tbh. Have to get the root out (or kill it with very strong weed killer). Be careful when you cut it down as it can be very rough taking it out, plant and roots. Protective clothing and good gloves are a must. Good luck.

 

[endecotp]

Hire a mini-digger.

You could try to kill it with glyphosate. (Wait till shoots are 50cm high, apply generusly, wait 6 weeks, repeat as necessary.). But then you’ve still got the rootball to remove.

Perhaps I’m exagerating a bit - maybe I’m thinking more of bamboo than pampas grass. Still going to be a lot of work.

 

[lonner]

I used to dig them out.
It's a shallow root system but bloody solid.
I've dug up some that are 2-3 foot wide .
Axe shovel pick ..not always in that order.

Enjoy, ps the micro digger option is a good idea if your not a fan of tough digging.
And do it soon before the clay turns to concrete.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Have you given up wife swapping?

 

[EddieM]

Have you given up wife swapping?

irritating... too slow.

 

[JBR]

Thanks to you all for this helpful advice.
A mini digger is right out, I'm afraid. It's an enclosed back garden with the only access either along a narrow passageway or through the house, so it looks like some hard work!
We had some other advice elsewhere that we could dig down from about a foot distant all around and dig in towards the root ball. When the sides are exposed, it might be possible to rock the thing back and forth to loosen it.
Does that sound a feasible solution?

 

[sodthisforfun]

It's not particularly deep rooted so it should work.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Don't cut too much off as you can use the trunk of a tree/ chunk of foliage as they can be used as a handle when removing. A mattock may be useful

 

[JBR]

Well, this is as far as we got this morning, just Marge and I.
This was using a fork to break up the ground and a spade to lift out the soil and roots.
We've removed most of the visible stuff, but there are still some remnants of roots underneath to dig out yet. I think most of the hard work is now done, and what's left should be a lot easier.
Not sure if they are visible, but there are several electrical cables running within the roots. 12V lighting, but a couple of 240V cables to the UV filter and the pump. The lighting cables run here there and everywhere in the earth; Roger the Bodger laid them before we bought the house, and I'm going to have to re-lay them, this time above ground and easily accessible.

 

[lonner]

Well done,it's a relatively small one.
You could re-plant it? They are nice and the headgehogs like them

 

[JBR]

Well done,it's a relatively small one.
You could re-plant it? They are nice and the headgehogs like them

Well, it seemed big enough to me! About a yard long and the same wide.
If it's not raining, we'll celebrate Easter Sunday by finishing the job off.

Next job: we are going to have a 'raised bed' in that space, apparently. Now I have to decide how to make the walls. Wood would be preferable, though it would have to resist any rot. Railway sleepers would be too big (and heavy to carry), so I'll have to think about treating some other wood but I wouldn't want to poison any wildlife and especially our cats.

EDIT: Sorry. Failed to reply to one of your suggestions!
We don't really want to re-plant it, to be honest, and anyway the roots are all now in little pieces!
I don't suppose you'd like to buy some bits of Pampas grass roots?!