I have a Pampas Grass I want to get rid of-it was billed as a "dwarf" version, supposed to get 5 feet tall. Yah right. So now it is this huge ugly mass, at least 10 feet tall, and I am going to put a rosebush there. I have a Sawzall, and I have a "pruning blade". So the question is- how do I go about cutting it down to the point where I can dig it out? Will my pruning blade work or would some other one be better. I also have a vague memory of a really long pruning blade for sale, it was pretty pricey, and I wondered why I might need one. I think the one I have is maybe 12-14" long.
Pampas Grass question
I have my Pampas Grass where I can easily burn it off. It burns like gangbusters - wooooof (could easily catch the country side on fire if not careful. I always try and burn mine before the first of April so I don't damage new growth. Though I am not trying to get rid of mine. When I want new starts I just dig a portion of the old. They get big and well rooted. You may need a strong pick to get it out of the ground or perhaps a ricriprocating saw (perhaps). Just a thought. Not sure how large of a root base yours has. Good luck!
I tried to dig up a couple of root portions of Miscanthus giganteus from a friends garden, I was going to transplant at another friends yard beside a barn but could not cut into the root with a sawzall (reciprocating saw). I had a pretty good pruning blade on it too. What a root mass that was, if your root system is anything like that, you'd need a backhoe. These root may have been there, developing for a long time...in clay soil no less.
I'd try dividing and conquering. Cut into it like cutting up a pan of brownies (into manageable sized pieces) and use a large iron rod to pry the portions loose. Everybody has a giant iron rod don't they? Mine is almost 5' and 2" diameter with one end sharply angled. I think it was used to work on the railroads. It takes all my strength just to wield it and sink it into the soil at an angle to get under the root system.
Once I've got some of the bar under the root mass, I use a piece of 4X4 wood at the base for leverage. As Brenda just said, good luck.
I think I will try to cut off most of the leaves with my Sawzall (reciprocating saw), then burn it (keep hose handy), then try digging like Mipii says. ugh. I thought for a moment about Roundup, but that would not allow me to plant the Rosebush.