Topic: Kerria control

[small]

I have a huge double Kerria, it's a lovely sight in Spring and I want to keep it. But....I want it to stay where I put it, not shove suckers up 3 feet away from the main plant. I've been dealing with it by snipping them off, pulling some root where I can, but this year I haven't kept on top of it at all. So, I'm having a mammoth session reducing the bush to where I want it, has any one a way of stopping the suckers from growing back?

[goodlife]

Sorry..but it is digging job to keep kerria under control.. ::)

[small]

Thanks, Goodlife, that's what I feared - do you think, once I've managed to chop out the offending roots, I could put any sort of barrier in the soil, like you might for rabbits, because the sucker roots do seem to run fairly shallow-ly? Or is that really stupid?

[goodlife]

Thanks, Goodlife, that's what I feared - do you think, once I've managed to chop out the offending roots, I could put any sort of barrier in the soil, like you might for rabbits, because the sucker roots do seem to run fairly shallow-ly? Or is that really stupid?

No, not stupid at all. If you have room to put barrier..certainly it is worth of try. I'm afraid I always just do 'quickie' and chop the tops off near surface and every other year or so get the spade out and start digging.