Hello Clemencia,

As with any perennial weed (or unwanted plant), management options fall into two basic categories: physical removal and chemical (herbicide) removal. Existing plants need to be either dug out individually or, if not immediately next to a desirable plant, covered with a light-blocking material until the roots starve (which may be several weeks). The alternative is to cut down the top growth, repeating the process promptly each time the plant resprouts, which will eventually exhaust its root energy reserves.

Chemical treatment would involve spot-treating the plants with a systemic herbicide to kill the roots (glyphosate being a typical active ingredient used), or treating the plants with a contact herbicide (as organic options tend to be) repeatedly, to achieve the same impact as removing all top growth each time it reappears. This process could take time (maybe months) depending on how aggressive a spreader and how well-established the plants in question are.

To prevent rhizome spread (the running roots that may be connecting the original plants to any new sprouts that are not seedlings), you'd need to bury a barrier, in order to block them from creeping into the yard over the property line. How deep that barrier would need to be we don't know, but likely at least 6 inches. (Like the sturdy plastic barriers used to block bamboo rhizomes, but less deep in this case.)

Miri

You're welcome.