Pampas grass is like that uninvited person at a party whom no one likes.
Though belonging to the group of flowering plants, Pampas grass does not add aesthetic value to the look of a garden. It takes up space and nutrients from your other plants, which can lead to their death.
It is understandable if you want to know how to get rid of Pampas grass. After all, it is nothing but a nuisance.
If you are confused about getting rid of this unattractive plant, then worry not!
Our guide on how to get rid of Pampas grass via eight easy methods is here for your help. Follow along to learn more about each technique in detail.
Let’s begin!
Get to Know the Pampas Grass
They say it is crucial to know your enemy before sticking. So, you must understand its anatomy before learning how to get rid of Pampas grass.
For starters, the Pampas grass is native to South America and can frequently grow on its own in your garden. The plant has a soft but firm stem that you should be particularly interested in—when getting rid of the Pampas grass, it is a good practice to strike it on its stem.
Since it is low maintenance and tough, it can withstand the harshest climates.
How to Get Rid of Pampas Grass? | Things Needed!
Each method in this guide on how to get rid of Pampas grass requires a particular set of equipment.
As a general rule of thumb, look at the following items in the list:
(It will ensure you have items in your inventory before beginning the process of getting rid of Pampas grass.)
- Gardening Scissors
- Gardening Gloves
- Herbicide
- Gardening Sprayer
- Gardening Shovel
- Plastic Sheet
- Vinegar
- Spray Bottle
That aside, let’s not waste any further time.
8 Methods to Getting Rid of Pampas Grass!
The following are a few methods for removing Pampas grass from your garden:
Method 1: The Manual Method
It is the easiest of methods and only requires your hands to manage.
- Start by covering your hands with gardening gloves.
- Stand over the Pampas grass plant and hold it by its stem—at this stage, ensure you have sufficient grip over the plant.
- Once you have gotten hold of the stem, gently push it from the ground.
- Since the Pampas grass stem is not very thick, you should be able to pull out the plant with minimal force.
Repeat the process with each plant to free your garden from Pampas grass.
Method 2: The Cutting Method
This method is very beginner friendly and easy to execute.
- To start the mission, get some gardening scissors.
- Remember to protect your hands with gardening gloves like the method described above.
- After having your scissors ready, start by cutting the stem of each plant.
(The Pampas grass proliferates extremely fast and has many seeds on its stem. Once you cut the stem, the seeds will no longer be able to germinate, and hence you will achieve the objective of getting rid of the Pampas grass from your garden.)
- After cutting the part of the seed, gently pull out the stem from the ground to finish off the Pampas grass saga once and for all.
Wanna know how to get rid of Pampas grass without any active play?
Method 3: The Herbicide Method
If you are not fond of scissors and using body strength to pull plants, this method is for you.
If you are a beginner, we recommend you proceed cautiously, as this method involves dealing with chemicals.
- The process starts with you taking protective caution—wear gardening gloves and tight clothes that do not get a chance to get in contact with the herbicide.
- Once all the safety measures are checked, grab your herbicide sprayer and fill in the herbicide you choose.
- Start spraying the mixture on the Pampas grass, and keep a distance of at least 4 inches between the sprayer nozzle and the plant.
- Make sure that you are spraying the herbicide on Pampas grass only. Accidentally spraying on other plants will kill them as well.
- Spray until all the grass is covered, and wait a few days for the herbicide to work.
If you have countered a remarkably resilient set of Pampas grass, you can repeat the spraying process after one week.
Method 4: Vinegar to the Rescue
This method is perfect for individuals who like to keep things natural.
After all, who wants to expose themselves to unwanted chemicals when you can get the same results without the harmful fumes?
- To execute this method, take a spray bottle and fill it with vinegar. It would be best to use regular white vinegar for this purpose.
- Spray the mixture on the Pampas grass.
- Avoid other plants; although natural, vinegar is lethal when killing plants.
Want a swift method?
Method 5: The Digging Method
Your workout in the gym is about to pay off with this method, as you would be using your core and upper body strength to execute it.
- Start with your protective gear, and you know the drill by now; grab your gardening shovel.
- Place the shovel near the Pampas grass you want to remove and gently dig in the ground. It will detach the roots of the grass from the soil, and you will be able to pull it out.
- Double-check that all the roots have been removed from the soil. If not, repeat the process to avoid grass regrowth.
Here’s a video to help you dig!
Method 6: The Plastic Covering Method
This method will suit you best if you do not wish to use a lot of your body strength while getting rid of the Pampas grass.
You would know by now that plastic can trap air and heat that can kill plants.
- Since we want to eliminate our uninvited friend, the Pampas grass, we will cover it with a plastic sheet.
- Use a big plastic sheet and some weights around the sheet to prevent it from flying around.
This method works best for the time of the year when you get plenty of sunshine and heat.
Method 7: Burn It Away
It is not the most environmentally safe or safest method, but we understand that desperate times call for desperate measures.
- To start the process, clear the garden’s surroundings and remove any objectives prone to catching fire.
- Once you have all this done, set the grass on fire, and let it burn until there is nothing but ashes left.
- It is a must to keep water on standby just in case the fire gets a little out of hand.
Make sure to check in with the fire regulations of your areas. We certainly do not want you in trouble!
NOTE: Only proceed with this method when everything else has failed.
Method 8: Leave the Deal to the Professionals
Let’s get real; sometimes, we do not have the skills and capacity to get a job done ourselves.
- For such instances, it is best to contact a professional.
- The professionals have industry-grade tools and skills to eliminate the toughest of these pesky plants.
NOTE: This method is the most expensive, but we will say it is worth it.
After all, nothing is more annoying than the growth of the plant you do not want in your masterpiece.
The Best Method to Get Rid of Pampas Grass!
As the best method depends upon many things, such as the gardener’s skills, resources, and available time, this is a tricky question.
Since we like to play it safe over here, we would say that the cutting method is the best when you are short on cash. On the other hand, if you have the resources, there is nothing better than hiring a professional to get the job done.
The Regrowth Factor of the Pampas Grass
When learning how to get rid of Pampas grass, it is essential to understand that regardless of the method’s efficiency, the grass can regrow.
What a bummer! Right?
It is best to repeat the method that you have chosen a few times to stop this grass from taking over your garden in the future.
That would be all!
Conclusion!
Pampas grass is one plant that can deteriorate your garden’s overall quality.
In today’s day and age, when you’ve got 99 problems up your sleeve, Pampas grass should not be one of them. Lucky for you, our guide on how to get rid of Pampas grass gives you a wide variety of methods to choose from.
Each method is described in detail so you are prepared to deal with this nasty plant.
So, buckle up to get rid of that Pampas grass today! Like this article? Comment below and share with your friends to spread the knowledge.
Regards.