GETTING RID OF SPANISH HYBRID BLUEBELLS

sarahprice66842

Hi Everyone.  My problem is I have a 12ft x 3ft border.  However it has been invaded by the Spanish hybrid Bluebell which I want to get rid off.  I have sifted all the earth into dustbins, however I notice there are still tiny white strands of the Bluebell roots (see picture).  If I use this soil will the bluebells re-grow?, or do I keep them covered in the dustbins for a year or so, or do you have  any other suggestions?   Many thanks.

Loxley

Sounds like you've done a thorough job. I don't know if they can regrow from fine roots, I suspect not. Personally I would replace the soil and grow annuals this year, then inspect for bluebells next season. There almost certainly will be some recurrence because they are fiendish buggers. Dig up individual plants as they appear. 

Good news is I read they are much less likely to affect native bluebells than previously thought; our natives are actually even more vigorous apparently. 

sarahprice66842

Brilliant advice, that's exactly what I will do.  Replace the soil and grow annuals for this year.  Many many thanks. 

josusa47

10/10 for dedication!  Sifting soil is backbreaking work; i'd be curious to know how you did it on such a massive scale.  12ft x 3 x the depth that H. hispanica gets down to - phew!

Butterfly66

They won’t regrow from tiny bits of roots but you may get some popping up from tiny bulblets. I personally would be happy to keep your sieved soil - you can never be sure what you are getting when buying topsoil unless you go for a top quality and more expensive product. I don’t how far down you when but that’s a lot of soil to dispose of and replace. 

@willdb that interesting news and supports what we have seen in our garden. We have lots of English and some Spanish bluebells and it’s the former that seem to pop up everywhere. Both are thugs in terms of their numbers but I have had more success whittling down the Spanish than the English. Before anyone pounces on my for trying to reduce numbers of English bluebells, they spread like wildfire here wherever we create a new bed - including those in full sunshine.

Loxley

My sister was on about planting English bluebells in her garden - I told her it was a bad idea! Very invasive and although they look lovely in April, the expanse of limp yellowing foliage as it dies down isn't really appropriate in a garden IMO!

JennyJ

Unless you have a large area where you can leave them to do their thing, I don't think any bluebells are great garden plants. I'm happy to see the English ones in the woods but not in my small garden.