How to eliminate large grasses?

I have several large ornamental grasses that I would like to eliminate. Can anyone tell me the best way to do this? They are way too large to dig up.

How soon do they need eliminated? You might be able to talk me into doing it for you. LOL

LOL Michele! They should be eliminated before they get much growth on them!
Surely you don't think you can dig them up???????? They are HUGE...Ravenna grasses. I love them...I just don't love where they are...and wish I hadn't planted them there.
I was thinking roundup..but I rather doubt even that would kill them!??
I mean...I wouldn't care at all if you want them....but DIG???????? WOW!!! You better have a back hoe!! :))

Wooo hoooo! Big tools! My favorite! Rent a bobcat and I'll be right there. LOL

Yeah, I love the Ravena grass however I could live without those prickly hairs all over my body!!

I wonder if a landscaper would come dig them up and take them? They are quite impressive grasses and they might want them for a job.

My SIL paid a bunch of money to have an evergreen tree removed from her front yard. About a week later a landscaper stopped by and asked if they sold it. She laughed and told him how much she paid to have it removed and he told her he would have BOUGHT it from her for more than that. OUCH!

I usually pop them up when I can or dig on both sides then use a tree saw to cut through them. If you don't find a way to kill them, I really will help you get them out so long as you promise me a shower right away. LOL The hose is running a big cold right now.

HMMMMMMMMMM....now you've got me thinking! I DO know a nursery guy (the one I bought my swing arbor from) and he has a bobcat. In fact, that's how he set up that arbor for me. I might just call him up and see if he wants to "buy" my grasses....LOL!! Who knows?????? All he can do is laugh...huh? I don't mind being laughed at! As a matter of fact..my neighbor has a backhoe...he is the one who set my arbor back up when it blew over....hmmmmmmmmmmmm...!!! Thinkin, thinkin!!!

Hey, even if he does not buy them, maybe he'll take them for free, or back break and if you could get some dirt out of it, to fill the holes...LOL

Go out there when you know they will drive by, hold a broken shovel and act like you are killing yourself. ROTFLOL

LOL! You are too funny! Yeah..that's what Dave said...what are you going to do about the big holes???????? Hadn't thought about that! MEN!! They always think up the bad stuff!

LOL I think it's a fair trade! He brings you a truck of topsoil and takes away self dug mature clumps of grass, ready to divide and sell. LOL

Just thinking on my bar stool but how about a fire built on top with a bunch of logs. Roast some marshmallows.

Good thought Soferdig...BUT.......... did you know ..they burn off grasses to make them come back even bigger and better?????? LOL! Let me tell ya..it works too!
We used to burn these...but now have other shrubs too close. And they go up like gang busters too...even when the top half is cut down first. But thanks for the thought!

Not if you use a source of heat logs, charcoal or whatever to heat sterilize the soil. We have big fires out here that get hot and nothing survives but seeds. Your right that burning just the grass is good for the next crop. I'm sure round up would work but I'm always afraid to use it.

Weeeeeeeeeeenie roast! What time? LOL

You bring the weenies!!

I love hot dogs! Everyone I eat makes me feel about 8 yrs old at Tiger Stadium. Hey I have a better idea put a chicken tractor over the grass pile and put 2 chickens with one rabbit over it and watch it dissapear. A goat tethered nearby also will help. LOL

ROTFLOL I hardly ever get REAL hotdogs. My eldest two children have banned beef and pork from their diets. Don't ask. I thought it would be a phase and it's been 2 years long. I am so sick of chicken and turkey (hot dogs, bacon, sausage, salami, blah blah and yaddah!). Every so often I buy both kinds and the bad for you ones taste so much better! LOL

I think you should go with the goats.......

LOL...you guys!! Hotdogs and goats!! I love hotdogs too..but rarely get to eat one anymore..cause I don't buy them! And like you Chele...I only like the "bad" ones!
Hubby has banned goats from here...they "eat" barns!! LOL!!! Andddddd...ok.....gonna show my ignorance here...and I been a country girl all my life too...but what the heck is a chicken tractor????????? Never have I heard of that??????

Oh, you put the country folks to shame! You ought look on the farm or poultry forums. It's basically a chicken coop on wheels. You can move it around to keep their habitat fresh. :)

THERE IS NOTHING BASIC about a chicken tractor. It is the best invention since the rototiller. Hee Hee

Well seeeee...I learned my new thing of the day!!! Yes...I have seen those for sure...just never heard it called that!
Around here though..the chickens run free! At least most of the ones I see. Sometimes..the cows too!! LOL!

OMG! Now I have an idea! Let's make a chicken tractor WITH tiller tines so you can till in the poo when you move it! How cool would that be??? LOL

We have seen so many new things since moving to 'the country'! My daughter came home all excited because the school bus had to stop for cows in the road. We find out 2 weeks later it is my other daughter's friend's bull that was out. Only in the country...

Kid at school couldn't turn in his homework because his cow ate it and that is really the truth!

We have roadsigns with a man on a tractor. Never saw that at the old house!

People pull trailers on four wheelers here. Shoot! We never saw 4 wheelers at the other house. LOL

The kids on the bus were jealous because we have a volleyball net??? I want THEIR tractor! Think they'd trade?

So you have to still deal with bull sh... when commuting in the country as well as in the city. Hee Hee

LOL Soferdig!!!!! That's about the truth!!!!!! And guess what you guys...I HAD to get a hotdog today when we were at the Home and Sport show up at the fairgrounds! I just couldn't stand it! LOL!! Man...was it ever good too! Soooo good .. I thought I had to have another one..until I ate about 1/2 of it...then gave the rest to hubby..cause I was full! Guess that will do me for a while now!!

You know we must have eliminated the large grasses cause we are now talking about hot dogs. "Hot dog!" Has anyone used Round up on big ornamentals? It has to work.

Does anyone have an answer as to how to get rid of huge ornamental grasses... There are only a few little strands that have woken up here and i want to get rid of them before they grow up. I most of the smaller stuff last year just by cutting it down, i figure that's easier than wrestling with 12 foot tall whatever ugliness they are. will a good healthy dose of Roundup do 'em off? I'd much rather have an herb garden with a rose bush in the middle than this stinkin' GROVE of grass! Thanks for your help!

I think if you try to dig it out now before it "wakes up" it will be much easier. But keep in mind that this one is spread by rhizomes, so you may have to use Round up to kill the roots. I think I would contact a landscaper who does installations, as suggested. These grasses can be pretty expensive. Also, you might try your park district, they use these here at the park entrances, very dramatic. Maybe try an ad in the local free paper?

(I didn't read the replies)...

Throw some heavy black plastic over the clump and secure. Let them bake for awhile in the hot sun :) All summer if necessary. I doubt any grass can take that! That's what I do when I don't want to or need to dig and want to rid myself of a large perennial.

Saw the thread and thought I'd chime in.....I have three or four HUGE clumps of pampas grass. I've never cared for it...except when I was a kid and liked to break off the feather tops and make messes in the neighbor's yards with it....LOL! So, I buy this house and I have these four monster clumps of it. It isn't going anywhere. It doesn't die back here in the winter.....just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Think I'll get Marcy and Michelle to come down here on vacation to dig them up for me...LOL!

LOL I just found this! Marcy whimped out and kept hers so you are stuck with me. Tell me what time the the crab boil will be ready and I'll come on down. :)

Well huh, Michele! So you are going without me? BTW...they are coming along nicely...!! We still have 3 more grasses to cut down...geez..just can't seem to get everything done this year...in a timely manner!

Hey hczone6.....that's a great idea! For next year...lol! They are already too high..so I am just gonna let them grow again this year...but thanks to all for the suggestions.