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Problem Phormium
Nerene
Posts: 16
I have a phormium planted only 2 years ago which has already exceeded it's maximum height and spread, plus most of the older leaves no longer have the pretty pink stripes along the edge but are just a dirty brownish colour. I have decided it must go but I personally don't strength to do the job. My son is coming to visit in August and I have earmarked him for the job (he doesn't know!) and was wondering if would be easier if I poured some weedkiller into the heart of it for the next few weeks to weaken the root hold. Well, that's my idea - any one think it's a good one or are they easy to dig up without this drastic help?
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Posts
HI Nerene - they're not usually too difficult to lift - especially one that hasn't been in too long.
Sometimes if the soil's very rich it causes them to grow more and then revert, losing their variegation, which might be what's happened to yours. It can happen when they get congested too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for the answers. I don't know if my soil is/was rich as the garden was all lawn when I moved in 3 years ago. First year I just covered it all with membrane to kill the grass and weeds and left it until spring 2013 to make a new garden with no lawn. I rescued the phormium from a garden centre sale at the end of the 2012 season and in pictures I have taken in June 2013 just after planting it looks tiny.It's name is "Pink Stripe" and it should have bronze leaves with pink margins. Now only a few leaves are like that. The card says it should reach a maximum height and spread of 150 x 110 cm.The height seems about right after just 2 years but the spread is already more and getting invasive.
Verdun, I watched a You Tube video of a man rejuvenating a phormium in the way you describe. It looked jolly hard work, albeit worthwhile. However he was comparatively young and fit whereas I am almost 70 with bad arthritis. There is no way I could do what he was doing, which is why I was going to get my son to help. But he is no gardener and wouldn't have the patience to do anything but dig it out. I am trying to be philosophical though - as it only cost me £10 originally it has done a good job of covering a lot of ground whilst I worked on other areas. Now the other plants are maturing it won't look so bare without it, and I can put my energies into caring for some other plant which is more manageable and won't outgrow it's space so quickly.