How do I get rid of agapanthus? Please don’t say dig them out, as I live on my own and am not physically capable of doing it - well at least not for the amount that are in my garden. I inherited them with the house and section. One clump I can cope with, probably 30 individual, well established clumps I can’t. I don’t normally like to use chemicals, but in this case.
pauldw,
Sep 9, 12:04pm
Cut'n'paste Met Gel on stumps immediately after cutting leaves off. I use an old bread knife. Watch for new plants as there will be a lot of seed in ground. You have to think about what you will replace them with as they survive better than a lot of the suggested alternatives. I have some that I just take the flowers off before they seed.
miwife,
Sep 9, 12:17pm
Thanks so much. I don’t need to replace them. My garden is really a jungle. So over planted it is ridiculous. I am trying to get it to a reasonable level of plants. May be the 10 year plan haha
mrsvonflik,
Sep 9, 2:01pm
I had agapanthus all down the side of my driveway. They were huge clumps etc.I put sign free for removal. Quite a few landscapers turned up to remove plants. They are supposed to be great to plant on sloping sections for retaining.
hound31,
Sep 9, 4:37pm
You have my sympathy OP, damn things would be put on the list of noxious weeds if I had my way lol. I just about did my back in digging them out, same as you I inherited them. The only thing I like about them is their lovely blue colour. Good advice above, plus a word of warning. DO NOT chuck anything you pull off on a compost or elsewhere in the garden they are evil, they regrow and take over!
sunnysue1,
Sep 10, 9:19am
A drink of weedkiller weekly. then after a month pulled away what I could then continue used with weedkiller till the clump was manageable.
tegretol,
Sep 10, 10:27am
Realistically - get a man with a small digger to dig them out with the corner of his bucket. Have just done that with 25-30 of them - they are a bloody weed. Hardest part was disposing of them.
Forget weedkiller - they are so well supplied with water that it barely touches them unless you use very concentrated weekly doses and then still have the disposal issue and the ongoing regrowth.
They should never have been bought in from South Africa.
tweake,
Sep 10, 12:04pm
i have sprayed them out before, just can't recall what i used. but i think the trick is you need to spray the underside of the leaves.
lythande1,
Sep 10, 12:42pm
Chop the top off. as far down as you can. a sharp spade to slice it off works well. Then paint on a gel poison, Vigilant or such. You might need to reapply it a few times, but I succeeded in getting rid of an infestation of them that way. 8 years later they haven't returned.
sumstyle,
Sep 10, 3:59pm
I did the first 10% with a bread knife. then I bought myself a cheap electric reciprocating saw from the hardware store. Soooo much easier to cut the green growth off first as close to the bottom of the stalks, and then slice up the "trunks" vertically (mine were well over ten years old), then do sections horizontally. Very satisfying.
There is no way I could do them with a sharp spade (I did try), and made some progress with my niwashi however the electric saw was far less wearying on my body.
lythande1,
Sep 11, 3:07am
Remember to put the Vigilant on the cuts now.
hulloitsme,
Sep 12, 2:14am
This was successful for me. A good quality general weed spray with a dash of wetting agent added (dishwash). Apply as soon as new growth is seen in early Spring and then once a month thereafter for the next 2 or 3 months. It seems spray application needs to start in early Spring,during the vigorous growth period, to be effective.
alston,
Sep 12, 5:49am
A small digger does the trick. Worth paying someone to do if you live alone, unless you have a relative who could hire the digger.
kittylittle,
Sep 13, 6:02am
school holidays are coming up, get a big lad from the local college to do it.
trele,
Oct 6, 2:43pm
It may seem like overkill but I use Woody Weedkiller. Works a treat but have to keep applying until all the seeds in the soil have germinated and been knocked off.
calostemma,
Oct 6, 4:02pm
This Advertise free take away or contact a landscaper Even the boring old blue is a favourite of commercial landscapers who use them for instant gardens
gatdm5,
Nov 9, 8:00am
Hitman from Wet & Forget will knock them back, a few goes to get rid of them. Seem to recall better results in summer when it hasn't rained for a while.
kiwimade64,
Nov 11, 2:52am
I thought they were a noxious weed. You have my sympathy OP as I've been slowly but surely getting rid of them too. I also inherited them and just hate them. I use a spade and dig the buggars out but in your case, I would also recommend a man with a digger. Worth every cent and sooooo satisfying to see them go.
jan2242,
Nov 11, 3:53am
Grazon weedkiller, 2-3 sprays will kill them totally. No need to cut the leaves, just mix in a little detergent, water and done.
catbrat,
Sep 11, 6:48am
I have some yukkas I want to get rid of all in pots not the ground, I have been trying to give away for free on neighbourly for the last month noone seems to want them even free
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