How to remove spiky grass from rockery?

darrenheaphy

I have a large rockery with lots of lovely perennials in them. Between them and through them however I have that large spiky grass that one sees in boggy fields. They're tough to pull up, any recommendations on how to remove?

renandstimpy

Is it rushes your talking about ?

darrenheaphy

renandstimpy wrote: »

Is it rushes your talking about ?

Lol, yeah couldn't think of the name last night

Roundup/Gallop kills rushes the best if you can spray it on them without hitting any of the perennials. It kills everything

lottpaul

Rushes might also be a sign that the rockery is very wet -- is there any way of improving the drainage from it? That would solve the problem for good. Otherwise the rushes will return over time, and they're pretty robust - you'll need to be diligent with the weedkiller, if you go down that route.

Day Lewin

There are other plants that might be called "spiky grass" - oat-grass, scutch grass. The latter is notorious for infesting rockeries and established perennials.
And there is some small, clump-forming type that I don't know the name of, but the roots (though quite shallow) cling on like Velcro.

A photograph would help.

darrenheaphy

katemarch wrote: »

There are other plants that might be called "spiky grass" - oat-grass, scutch grass. The latter is notorious for infesting rockeries and established perennials.
And there is some small, clump-forming type that I don't know the name of, but the roots (though quite shallow) cling on like Velcro.

A photograph would help.

Thanks here's a pic of the full rockery and then the grass I'm talking about. It's hard to pull that grass out, even in wet weather it's well stuck in!

lottpaul

Rushes mostly.

(Nice setting and like the boundary wall too.)

darrenheaphy

lottpaul wrote: »

Rushes mostly.

(Nice setting and like the boundary wall too.)

Thanks! Took a while to clean up that wall, am happy with it! I'd love a week off just to spend the days gardening ... Hmm, I'm getting old!

darrenheaphy

darrenheaphy wrote: »

Thanks here's a pic of the full rockery and then the grass I'm talking about. It's hard to pull that grass out, even in wet weather it's well stuck in!

Some of the rushes are growing up through other plants so spraying is out. There is a round up gel you can get to touch plants with that you want to kill.

renandstimpy

I used a cotton bud and some roundup in a lid and touched what I want dead .. worked a treat

darrenheaphy

renandstimpy wrote: »

I used a cotton bud and some roundup in a lid and touched what I want dead .. worked a treat

Good tip! Thanks!

Paulownia

darrenheaphy wrote: »

I have a large rockery with lots of lovely perennials in them. Between them and through them however I have that large spiky grass that one sees in boggy fields. They're tough to pull up, any recommendations on how to remove?

There is a wonderful grass killer available on the market which kills only grass. I have used it to control grass in a plot of cyclamen. I can't remember what it is called but it would be available from agri chemical people. However that still leaves you with rushes which are a scourge that I live with in my garden too. I find that once I disturb soil thousands of dormant rush seeds spring to life.
What you have I think is scutch or couch grass.