Snakeplant eradication experiment beginning today.
d.k – posted 16 May 2010 19:28
This beastie (sanseviera) a.k.a. “bowstring hemp” or “mother-in-law’s tongue” thrives on neglect. Seriously. It survives without water, without food, it survives herbicide, and that makes it the best houseplant ever, but it’s a royal pain loose in a yard.
It’s also a non-native invasive plant in Florida where I live. I have a very large patch in the backyard that I have been trying to beat back with sheer manual labor for some time. I asked U of F once (at another site, not TGF.) about “killing it with kindness”, and they didn’t seem to have an answer. Don’t blame them for that, but I do wonder if it’s ever been tried.
I am TIRED OUT from trying to dig it out when the thing is — as I refer to it — a Godzilla plant, regenerating from the smallest bit that you happen to leave behind…. Granted, it takes some time to do that– months even– but, I want it gone for good.
I have decided to try killing it in a particular 3 foot sq. area by dribbling a little straight sudsy ammonia down the leaf into the cup at the base.
Hoping to kill it by feeding WAY too much food, in other words…
There’s nothing else in the area that will suffer the burn, because sanseviera doesn’t allow much else to survive, except maybe brazilian pepper, another p.i.t.a. invasive…
What do you think, guys? Thumb’s up, or thumb’s down? More importantly, do you think it will WORK?!? Man, I hope so. Also hoping that the fact that I waited to do this until it’s been pretty dry and over 85 degrees will help. Maybe it’s getting a little thirstier than usual.
[This message has been edited by d.k (edited 16 May 2010).]
[This message has been edited by d.k (edited 16 May 2010).]
d.k – posted 02 June 2010 08:40
Update:
First dose hasn’t shown much effect on the boxed off section. New blade growth from the bottom seems thinner and whiter though.
Another section does seem to be reacting somewhat to the strong Round-up application I applied nearly 2 months ago. Some of thespears are yellowing and starting to lay over.
So, maybe Round-up will work after all, but it will just take a long time to do the job.
Meanwhile, I am going to keep on with the sudsy ammonia experiment in this particular patch and apply a second dose late today or tomorrow morning.
I am also considering working in a third experimental patch, but haven’t quite decided the trial product yet. Whatever I use, I want to be able to carefully apply it as close to the tap root as possible, since I am planning to re-plant this area sometime within the next couple of years.
The snakeplant creates a mat of fine feeder roots at the surface that can create a mat over time a few inches thick, but the taproot generally extends down about 6 inches into the sand and grows sideways from there another several inches away until it will throw up another plant that will repeat the process. The mat of feeder roots on the surface allows it to steal a lot of water and nutrients in the area, and cut off access of other plants to the surface while rain or watering eventually sinks further down to supply the fat carrot-like tap root. Because of it, I am expecting that there will not be much residual product left in the ground under the mat if I am carefull about application, and have been wondering if poly-gel crystals soaked in Round-up and applied to the surface mat might result in better and faster die-off….. Any other ideas on how to take advantage of this root system?
[This message has been edited by d.k (edited 02 June 2010).]
[This message has been edited by d.k (edited 02 June 2010).]
I almost forgot Do Not over water. Floratan /Seville all strains of St. Augustine are suseptible to fungus from over…
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