Monday, July 30, 2018

Battling Liriope

Our first house was a little mid-century ranch. 
The driveway was lined with Liriope. I call it monkey grass but I think I may have misnamed it all this time. 
For some reason, I deemed it necessary to remove it all at the same time I was caring for a small child.
I put my baby in the walker, gave him a few toys to keep him entertained and went to town on it.
When Chris was done, I was done. We continued until all of the Lipirope was removed.
It was a nightmare.


Yet. I brought it to this house in some sort of complete and utter brain fart. 
I've been battling it for the last few weeks.



I've discovered that it will pull out easily if the soil has been watered recently.
Damp but not sopping wet is best.


Pulling the smallest "babies" on the edges seems to loosen the larger center clump.


These things are prolific spreaders.
One small clump can turn into a huge one in just a few years.


I did leave some in the beds.
It's evergreen which gives the yard color during the winter.
They do have a sweet little bloom which resembles lavender.
It's a good filler and generally you can find it for free because it's so prolific which is why I brought it from my mother in law's old house.
Free and a good filler was what we needed because this yard was almost empty when we bought the house.



My bird bath is no longer in danger of being engulfed by it.


Even though it's work to tame it, Liriope is still one of my garden staples.
Anybody want to come get some?
I have plenty.
I am in Europe so I wasn't able to pick features. I'll pick some when I return.
Katie

Linking with,

8 comments :

  1. It's funny you should mention liriope! In the past I've pulled it out by handfuls and put it in the trash because it just becomes so invasive after awhile. I swore I'd never plant it again. I just did!! I found it on sale and like you said, it's evergreen and fills in space nicely. I guess I'll be pulling and digging again in the future. :)

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  2. Oh, driveways! They can drive you nuts, can't they. I wonder if that's what grows so prolifically in mine? I wouldn't be surprised...

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  3. Thankfully I never planted any liriope because I had been warned about it. It sounds like it’s just as tough as the Lilly of the Valley is to remove. Lily of the Valley has the sweetest flower but it sure is invasive. Thank you for joining the Garden Party!

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  4. Glad you have got a good hold on it for now...maybe you can keep on top of it now.

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  5. Glad I read your post on liriope. At one of our former houses we had the solid green and yes, it ran everywhere. At our current house, we are enlarging a flower bed by the road and I have purchases the varigated liriope. It seems to stay in a clump and doesn't send out runners.

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  6. I think it is considered an annual here, but I do like it. I'm battling Violets that I didn't mean to bring to our garden. I got it accidently in other starts I brought from our previous home. I love them, but they get in the lawn so bad! Thanks for sharing with SYC and the Garden Party.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  7. One time we planted rosemary on a hill at the back of our townhouse. It grew into huge plants that filled in everything, but when it came time to sell it wasn't very attractive so we had a gardening service take it all out. What a mess. But it did smell nice. - Margy

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