# Can I just cut these things with my bush trimmers, whatever they are?



## vankjeff (Jan 28, 2019)

I have several of these plants around my yard that have been growing untouched for many years, maybe 20 years. I'm now suddenly my lawn guy. I live in southern California. I don't even know what these are so I haven't been able to look up the maintenance tips.
I've got a bush trimmer that I could use that I'm handy using. I don't have a chainsaw so I hope if you say I should cut it at the base where it's really thick, you don't say down too low since I'm pretty sure that would me renting a chainsaw, although I guess I could do that if needed. Can I just use my Hedge Hog electric bush trimmer on these? If so, how? Just by making a flat cut about 6" up or 12" up or more or maybe a globe shaped cut and if so, how big?
I see lots of dead-looking white stuff sticking out amongst the live stuff. I'm no hand plucker so that's not gonna happen even if you say it should. 😉


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## ram82 (Dec 19, 2018)

Midnight iris?,dont remember name.I had pluck mine but I dont have many.You can cut them idk down to 6 inches wich most maintenance crews do but they may or may not recover and can look good or unsightly.Me personally I'd yank them out


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## vankjeff (Jan 28, 2019)

ram82 said:


> Midnight iris?,dont remember name.I had pluck mine but I dont have many.You can cut them idk down to 6 inches wich most maintenance crews do but they may or may not recover and can look good or unsightly.Me personally I'd yank them out


ram82, I'd love to yank them but I don't know how deep the roots go. I sure can't get a truck or car near any of them to help pull the chain. Do you think that the roots go down deep?

MIDNIGHT IRIS plants


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## ram82 (Dec 19, 2018)

vankjeff said:


> ram82 said:
> 
> 
> > Midnight iris?,dont remember name.I had pluck mine but I dont have many.You can cut them idk down to 6 inches wich most maintenance crews do but they may or may not recover and can look good or unsightly.Me personally I'd yank them out
> ...


Shovel will do,only issue is now that your in California you may have irrigation lines underneath so a quick job can turn into a long job.If you keep any make sure you remove spent blooms as they can seed even in lawns.Have no idea why they are so popular in California. Good luck


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## ram82 (Dec 19, 2018)

Yellow african iris


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## vankjeff (Jan 28, 2019)

Silly question ram82 but what is a "spent bloom" and why would it maybe end up in my grass and regrow? Is it just one of the stalks or is it a part that already has roots on it that I'd be digging up with a shovel?
So you don't think these huge things would have a big ball of roots going down deep that are hard to deal with?
I guess I would need to watch out for sprinkler lines but I think I can guess where they go, based on where I see sprinklers.
Also, as big as it's gotten, I guess I'll need to get in there with a saw of some sort & cut most or all of it off before I can even hope to dig up the stalk & the roots. So, I guess I could do that now and see what starts growing back?


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## ram82 (Dec 19, 2018)

Spent bloom is when the yellow flower dries up and drops seed. Cut the stalk the flower is growing on maybe half ways down,if not the seeds can drop and sprout as I have seen in thin lawns.The root system is fibrous and not woody.A sharp shovel will work but with your limited space it will be annoying


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