This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Cotoneaster taking over
Ivycecilia
Posts: 5
Hi, I have cotoneaster in the garden which I love for the birds and bees but due to, I assume, bird droppings, it it taking over. It has sprouted on the other side of the garden under my holly bushes (not my choice planning regulations!) and looking awfully messy. Is there a) an easy and efficient way to get rid of it - the roots and stems are very tough or b) some way I can grow/prune it to look tidy and maybe make a nice holly./cotoneaster hedge?
0
Posts
Well you can easily dig up the seedlings (the compulsive propagator in me means I tend to pop them in pots to grow on!) Larger ones, dig them up if possible or else cut them down and glyphosate regrowth (if you're organic, just keep cutting off the regrowth until the plant weakens and dies).
As for any bits that are growing where you want it, many cotoneasters make really good hedges and would look very good in a holly/cotoneaster mixed hedge. Just shape the hedge with mechanical shears (roughly shape with loppers first to get rid of large branches that would get in the way).
Do you know what type of cotoneaster it is? Small leaves, big leaves, tree form or shrub, straight stems or bent? There are lots of different varieties. Put a picture on if you are not sure then it will be easier for people to give advice.
Good point, I have assumed it's one of the bigger ones like Lactaeus, as that's the one I have.
Apparently it's a rock spray cotoneaster or cotoneaster horizontalis - for some reason I can't post the picture. It has small leaves, it is a shrub not a tree.
If you can't actually dig them out, I think you can probably just cut out any that you don't want by snipping them off below soil level. I think that if you cut back into the root and don't leave any stem then you shouldn't get any regrowth. Not 100% on this though.
Thanks Daryl2 and WillDB I'll be out there today with the secauteurs.