Need Help With Getting Rid of Junipers and planting HollyHocks

16 years ago

I have a black thumb and have no idea what I am doing.

We recently moved into a new house that is full of junipers! YUCK! (I did not even know what they were called till a friend of mine came over and told me.) So I have been out there with steel shovel, clippers, lobbers (is that what that thing is called that cuts through thick branches and roots?) and the like. I have gotten all up but one (ended up bruising my bones yesterday - didn't know one could bruise bones, but the doc in the ER said that is what I had done).

However, these things are like WEEDS and have roots EVERYWHERE! I have dug pretty deep down and hacked at those things, but am unsure if I have to get them completely up before planting anything else there. We want to plant HollyHocks (sp?). I don't want junipers coming back up. I want the neighborhood kids to be able to come over and make HollyHock dolls and the like without worry of junipers.

So my question is, do I have to get every bit of these things out, or is just getting MOST of it out gonna do just fine? There are still a few long thick roots spreading out here and there, and some of the thin little roots still down in there.

Also, the soil looks so worn and tired (can soil look like that?), so what do I need to do to freshen up the soil before planting the HollyHocks? (We are getting ones that have already been started.) How long does the soil have to have had time to refreshen before planting?

I am pretty sure I am going to need to add more soil, but what else? Thanks for any hints and tips on this endeavor!

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Comments (6)

david52 Zone 6
16 years ago
Most junipers around here will just die if you cut them off at ground level. I wouldn't worry too much about the roots unless you want to rent a backhoe, they'll eventually break down, and in the meantime, they're dead and not taking anything from the soil.

Re preparing the soil and getting it ready for hollyhocks, I would perhaps just create a 'raised bed' over the area, something simple like a few sacks of compost and perhaps some topsoil, and just plant the hollyhocks in there. Let the earthworms do the work for you.
abq_bob
16 years ago
You should be good. I pulled up a bunch of junipers from my front yard, and they've never come back. I only dug out enough roots to make way for the desirable plants I wanted (iris, rosemary, and lilies for me - I do like hollyhocks as well). After 10 years, not one juniper has raised its ugly head. Mine were the low growing type that my folks always called "fitzers."
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Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
16 years ago
Hi Me,

I'd say you've definitely gotten rid of the junipers---and it sounds like you almost got rid of yourself too!

I do everything the easy way, so I agree with Bob, I'd just dig between whatever may be left of the roots and plant the hollyhocks right there. I recommend improving the soil the same way you would when planting any other plant---keep a bucket of moist Canadian peat or a GOOD quality compost with you, and mix about a third peat or compost into the hole and the soil you'll be backfilling with when you plant each plant. Water them in well, and they should be fine.

By next year when they're getting to be full size, you may need to put in a 5 or 6' stake by each one to help them a little bit---especially if you get a lot of wind. (Where are you located?) And it's a good idea to mulch around the bottom of each one---or over the entire area---with one of the wood mulches---like the bagged bark mulch which comes in small, medium, and large at any of the box stores.

Hollyhocks are also VERY easy to collect seed from if you want to--and you'll also find LOTS of seedlings coming up around them next spring if they bloom this year.

I bet by fall your thumb will have turned green---and hopefully your bones will have healed!

Welcome to RMG,
Skybird
lilacs_of_may
16 years ago
I've bruised ribs before. Of course, that was during a karate tournament. Hurt, though.

You wanna come over and pull up my junipers? I hate them. They're turning brown and ugly. The only reason they're still there (besides inertia and general laziness on my part) is because they're green and that's marginally better than bare earth.
tyhawk
16 years ago
Deer love Hollyhocks so I hope you dont have any near you.
singcharlene
16 years ago
I'm sorry you bruised your ribs in the process ouch!

I wrote a post earlier this spring about our junipers being removed too. Sorry- in the end we decided to bite the bullet and write a check to have it done after I finally talked my husband into hiring someone. Maybe your ER bill was enough to pay someone! Next time!

Our junipers had black plastic and lava rock surrounding the entire perimeter of the house. They ripped them out by attaching a chain and pulling out with a truck. We still have some roots in there but like David mentioned just planting on top of the soil, I'm going to smother with newspaper and a few layers of organic material and plant right on top.

Happy Hollyhocking!

Charlene