Lirope

February 6, 2016

I have separated and transplanted liriope plants before-- usually late March with good results. Is February too early to do that? 

Liriope is a tough plant. I have seen them divided and moved in July and they survived, so February is not a problem at all. Even though liriope or monkey grass is an evergreen plant, cutting it back every year before growth begins, gives it a fresh start. That is typically done in late February too.  Then just monitor should we get a late freeze—just mulch if we do.  

February 2010

I have tried applying straight Roundup to kill a bed of Monkey Grass, with no result. Can you possibly tell me what if any application will rid me of the Monkey Grass problem? I want to create a bed for tulips and other flowers after the Monkey Grass is eradicated.

This is one of those situations where if you didn't want to kill the monkey grass (liriope), the Round-up would damage it, but since you do, it looks like nothing is happening. This time of year the plant is not actively growing so damage to the plant from a glyphosate product (i.e. Round-up) will be very slow. I would try to dig up as much as possible, or take your lawn mower or weed eater and cut it back to within an inch of the ground and then spray with Round-up. One application won't give you total kill. Removing as much of the roots and crowns as possible and treating what emerges after that will help. Tulips can't be planted until next fall, so you have some time to work on it!

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