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Invasive grass identification

Hannah.m.cookHannah.m.cook Posts: 3
in Problem solving

Hi all! 
Hopefully someone can help- this grass has been popping up all over our garden for the past 10 ish years, I'd really love to get rid of it but its proving tricky as its now growing through the paving slabs.
Any ideas on what it is and/or the best way of prevention/removal? 
We have three cats so preferably animal safe methods if possible.
Thanks in advance!

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 25,280
    Don't under any circumstances let it seed!
    Can you lift the slabs to get it out?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    Looks like a sedge, probably Carex pendua, a tricky one to control:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Hannah.m.cookHannah.m.cook Posts: 3
    Thank you for your speedy replies! 
    I'm going to try dig them all out today!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 84,017
    Good luck  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Thank you for posting this.

    I recognised this grass from our garden. There was 3 clumps of it poking out of the edge of our hedge.  All three of them appeared at the end of last summer and all last summer, I recall pulling little mini versions out of my flower beds and between cracks in my paving.

    Anyway. The three of them have now been dug up. It was very hard work. My arms are covered in scratches  and very sore, also my garden fork has bent. My partner is under strict instructions that if he spots any of the mini versions, he must pull them up.

    When I was clearing up afterwards, I noticed there is some in next doors garden which are bigger than the ones we have just dug up. My guess is that next doors garden is where they are coming from.

    I am quite friendly with that neighbour. She is a friend of a friend so I think I will mention this grass to her and warn her that it is not a good garden plant.
  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 577
    We got ours from next door. The bottom of his garden buts up against our side fence.
    After he had some leaning trees cut down he just left the area to its own devices and
    these grasses grew. Knowing no better I thought they looked OK but then I found some
    right across the other side of my garden (about 60' and on the other side of the house).

    He cleared his area and built a shed and 6' fence and I'm still struggling.
    Southampton 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,236
    It's a hellish thing to get rid of. If you constantly hack it to the base, you can weaken it, but you still really need to dig it out. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    If it beats the tools you have, consider getting a mattock which makes things a whole lot easier!
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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