Montbretia/Crocosmia...

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Growster...

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Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« on: December 15, 2015, 22:15 »
We're becoming over-run with this plant...

It looks great in early summer, and provides a huge splash of red and orange, but now, it's really an ugly pain, and we pull out armfulls of the stuff to clear it!

We try to dig the corms out each year, but they seem to have multiplied much faster this year, and they'll have to be tackled before the whole blasted village gets smothered!

Has anyone any ideas on what to do please...

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New shoot

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2015, 10:30 »
Its the tiny corms that are a pain.  Miss a few and the whole lot comes back again.

If you dig the worst out, the only other thing you can do is treat it with a glyphosate weed killer when it sprouts next spring. 

The old traditional orange one seems the worst for spreading.  I have a couple of the newer large flowered varieties growing and they seem relatively well behaved.  Lucifer for an early red and George Davidson for a later orange  :)

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Eblana

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2015, 10:48 »
I was told that Montbretia is now considered an invasive species here in Ireland because it is taking over at the detriment of other native species.  Unfortunately Glyphosate is probably the only way you will rid yourself of it.  I would suggest digging out as much as you can, then see what comes up next year, if you can spray I.e. If there aren't other plants then spray it otherwise I would suggest sponging or painting Glyphosate onto the leaves.

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AlaninCarlisle

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2015, 15:28 »
A real problem here as well. In fact I filled the garden waste wheelie-bin twice last year with clumps of it. I can't be the only one locally either as I see clumps of it in the hedge bottoms by the side of the country lanes. It all goes back to the husband of a friend of my wife who donated a few small clumps about fifteen years ago. Thanks for nowt, Terry

Certainly a glyphosate job this coming spring

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madcat

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2015, 16:21 »
Not very helpful - but it loses to day lilies.  They are competing in a border and the day lilies win.  Which just makes for another aggressive strapleaved plant to take over the world.    ::)
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Yorkie

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2015, 07:22 »
I'm blessed (!) to have both ... ::)
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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Growster...

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2015, 11:47 »
Oh yes, the day lilies...

And also that very long grass, which has very tough leaves, not unlike montbretia, and which shoots up long 4 ft stems with a dangling seed head. The roots go down about three miles and are near impossible to dig out...

I've just spent the morning pulling out the third wheelie bin of montbretia, and am now going to have a long cool beer...

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Annen

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2015, 12:44 »
I'm lucky enough to have the old montbretia and the grass with the dangling head (sedge I think) which seeds like mad.  I've got rid of some patches of montbretia by sheer persistence, they even grow nicely on the compost heap. The sedge, I pull out when I see a baby one coming up.  Its a shame because they are both pretty for about two weeks in a year.
Anne

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AlaninCarlisle

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2015, 16:47 »
I said very glibly further back in this thread that my Montbretia plague is due to be glyphosated. Does glyphosate actually kill/immobilise the corms?

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New shoot

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2015, 10:01 »
I said very glibly further back in this thread that my Montbretia plague is due to be glyphosated. Does glyphosate actually kill/immobilise the corms?

If you get it while it is actively growing, it will kill the small ones.  The large corms may need a second dose.  They often have tiny offsets which sprout when the main corm dies.  Leave the glyphosate a good 6 weeks to get into the corm and kill it - longer in cool weather.

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Trikidiki

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2016, 19:47 »
Not very helpful - but it loses to day lilies.  They are competing in a border and the day lilies win.  Which just makes for another aggressive strapleaved plant to take over the world.    ::)

At least you can eat the flowers of the day lily.

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Jackypam

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2016, 22:17 »
I spent 3 hours digging out all the corms I could find and now I'm going to dedicate half an hour each week pulling up any remaining corms that grow and see if I can get rid of them that way!

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sunshineband

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2016, 14:07 »
I spent 3 hours digging out all the corms I could find and now I'm going to dedicate half an hour each week pulling up any remaining corms that grow and see if I can get rid of them that way!

Sounds a good starting point, Jackypam!
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Growster...

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Re: Montbretia/Crocosmia...
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2016, 20:33 »
They're all on their way now...

Paaah!



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