pampas grass - compost or leaf mould?

Larumbelle

Hi all...

I am still battling the pampas invasion in my garden. Currently my best strategy is to cut them down as low to the woody bit as possible, then dig the little blighters out. It's hard work, it's tedious, but it does seem to be working.

But I have enormous quantities of leaf cuttings now. I had planned on burning them but they produce a lot of acrid smoke even when they are thoroughly dried out, and I don't want to annoy the neighbours. So, a couple of questions if anyone can answer them:

1) Can I make leaf mould with them like normal leaves?

2)A lot of websites say not to compost pampas. I gather that this is because the seeds are pretty tenacious and will remain viable no matter what you do to them. I've been cutting off and disposing of the fronds as they appear for this reason, so am I okay to compost the other bits?

3)If it is okay to compost them, are they 'green' or 'brown', because they seem quite dry and woody to me.


Any input gratfully received.

missimaxo

Sorry to but in on your post as I cannot help....

But I have just been given a pampass grass for my new garden - why do you describe it as an invasion? I know they grow big but I like looking at them? Is it likely to go wild?

Thanks

shandypants5

How are you making your grow??

I moved a healthy clump about 3 years ago to a different corner of my garden, and it is only just starting to recover.
We only had 2 fronds last year.. none so far this year.

dora37

I read the other day that in the 70's (could still be so) that having a Pampas grass in the front garden was a sign to let others know you were swingers :eek: :eek: ..........so if someone comes a knockin' you've been warned!! :rotfl:

shandypants5

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Well mine is in the back garden and not as big as it used to be....

Not sure what that means.....:rolleyes:

missimaxo

dora37 wrote: »

I read the other day that in the 70's (could still be so) that having a Pampas grass in the front garden was a sign to let others know you were swingers :eek: :eek: ..........so if someone comes a knockin' you've been warned!! :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

The person who gave me it through freecycle was a 60something couple..... and theirs was in the front garden :eek:

The mind boggles!

Larumbelle

:rotfl: PMSL at you guys :rotfl:
My next-door neighbour (who is in her 80s) told me that too. Maybe she was a bit of a goer back in the day.

missimaxo wrote: »

Sorry to but in on your post as I cannot help....

But I have just been given a pampass grass for my new garden - why do you describe it as an invasion? I know they grow big but I like looking at them? Is it likely to go wild?

Thanks

You're not butting in. This board is for knowledge sharing so as far as I'm concerned, fire away!

The reason I describe it as an invasion is because I have recently inherited a large and very 'busy' garden. It used to be someone's pride and joy but after he passed away the house was let. The last tenants were in for 4 years and never so much as mowed the lawn. The old man only used to have one pampas grass. I have so far removed over thirty of its offspring and I have another 10 or so to go. Once pampas gets going it not only spreads outwards at an alarming rate, smothering any plant in its path, it also casts vast numbers of seeds far and wide. The seeds are very fertile no matter what you do; they survive 'hot' composting and even burning. In fact, in many countries (including parts of the USA and Australia) they are regarded as dangerous nuisance plants in the same way that Japanese knotweed is here.

The babies are quite easy to remove when they're still 'babies', but getting rid of them once they are 'teenagers' or 'adults' is backbreaking. So keep an eye out when yours gets going!!!!