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Spanish Bluebells

Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145
in Problem solving
I decided to reduce the population in one border last year, however, judging by this years showing my intervention seems to have had quite the opposite effect! Anyone any good tips for reducing their impact?

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    If you find out Dave, I'd like to know too. Those and crocosmia I've been trying to 'control' for over 30 years
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    All I can suggest is to keep digging the bulbs out. I've been trying for years and I don't think I'll ever be completely rid if them.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited March 2019
    Hoe compost forget until next year repeat
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • cornellycornelly Posts: 970
    I too am trying to iradicate Spanish Bluebells, just keep digging them out, "thoroughly", make sure there are no bulbets left, its not easy,
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I followed one down to my elbow and didn't reach the bulb.I gave up then. I remove the leaves when they appear and chuck the bulbs if I come across them. Not allowing them to seed has helped significantly, but I'll never be rid of them. By May/June they'll be gone for another year.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    I gave up trying to dig them out a few years ago. A fruitless task as they always came back somehow, and meant I was disturbing the other plants every year.
    Have been following the forum tip to pull the leaves when they appear, not let it flower, or set seed 😡.
    Seems to be working so far👍. I see less and less of them every spring.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Yes, keeping pulling off leaves and removing bulb where possible. It does cut down on the reseeding and also prevents the pollen crossing with our good old English bluebells.

    Does anybody know when Spanish bluebells were introduced to this country? Deliberately?
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    edited March 2019
    I don't know when but I strongly suspect the garden centres are to blame.  I think of Spanish bluebells as the horticultural equivalent of the grey squirrel.  "These native squirrels/bluebells are all very well, but you have to go to the woods to see them, and they're so shy, lurking among the trees.  Wouldn't you rather have a squirrel/bluebell that's maybe not so attractive, but much more visible, more vigorous, less picky as to habitat, happy to live in urban parks and gardens?"

    At least the squirrels, unlike the bluebells, can't hybridise, otherwise our red squirrels would be going the way of Scotland's wild cats.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    My mother in law's garden is full of them and they are multiplying everywhere. She is absolutely convinced that they are English ones, and nothing anyone can say convinces her otherwise. We've shown her photos of them, put them next to the photo, but she won't have it. OH is trying to get them out where he can, l have told her that they are too congested and won't flower so well which she seems to have agreed to, so hopefully we can get rid of some.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    josusa47 said:
    I don't know when but I strongly suspect the garden centres are to blame.
    You could well be right. I had been wondering if it was the Romans! They're to blame for ground elder, or so I read :smile:
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