Grape Hyacinth problem

Discussion in 'Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, Ferns and Bulbs' started by dymndgyrl, Jul 25, 2006.

  1. dymndgyrl

    dymndgyrl Member

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    Location:
    Gabriola Is. BC
    I'd like to get rid of all the grape hyacinth in a particular garden because:

    1. The area surrounds a pond where I now have an electric raccoon fence and I can't have the new growth come up and short out the fence, and;

    2. The area is planted heavily in black mondo grass and I hate the way it is completely choked out by the masses of grapes in the spring

    The problem is that the ground is saturated in the bulbs, they multiply incredibly fast!
    The only way I can think of is to pick off all the leaves as soon as they appear, over and over again. Will this eventually kill the bulbs? How many years do you think it will take? Any other suggestions?
     
  2. D King

    D King Member

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    Location:
    vancouver
    I have the same problem. I'm looking into harvesting them for food (boiled bulbs are tasty) or making sure (not sure how).
     
  3. maggiec

    maggiec Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    new westminster, BC
    I have been trying to rid a bed of them for years - I laugh when I see the bulbs for sale. Last fall, I cleared out the area and left it bare so that I can carefully pull them out when they are still green. They are such a nuisance, and now are migrating to other beds.
     
  4. dymndgyrl

    dymndgyrl Member

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    Location:
    Gabriola Is. BC
    Hi,
    My original post was from 2006, and I'd like to report that all this time I have been yanking them out. Either the whole bulb would come or just the leaves, but I never let any of them flower or even grow more than an inch high.

    And it works pretty good. There are hardly any left that come up. On the other hand, if I stopped paying attention, I'm sure they would take over again! They are all over the yard - it's just the one bed that I couldn't stand them in :)

    Cheers,
    Cindy
     
  5. 2maurice

    2maurice Member

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    Location:
    Delta BC
    I too have a grape Hyacinth problem. I found a suggestion to pull the flowers off before they seed and that would keep them in check but... this does not address the problem of getting RID of them. They have migrated out of the flower bed and on to my lawn! They seem to be most comfortable around the base of my trees. Is there nothing I can put on the lawn that will choke the bulbs but feed the grass? Do bulbs and grass like the same PH/acidity?
     

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