A beginner’s guide to avoiding problems…
How to remove dead Echiums – what problems, you might say? If it’s dead, cut it down and pull it out. Basically, yes, but these mighty plants pack a punch if handled wrongly and can annoy for years.
Herbaceous Echiums are monocarpic – in layman’s terms, if they grow from a big rosette of leaves, they die after they flower. Read more on growing Echium.
They can live for two or three years, depending on conditions – I had one E. pininana that lasted for four before deciding to flower. E. pininana (tree Echium) and E. wildpretii (Tower of Jewels) fall into this group. Shrubby types (branched stems) are short-lived perennials, such as E. candicans, or the Pride of Madeira.
Here’s my potted guide – how to remove dead Echiums and give them a trouble-free burial.
Dress appropriately
Wear stout gloves, long trousers, sleeves and a cap. Avoid any fleecy or furry-type garments. The dead flowers and seedpods catch in absolutely anything, including your hair.
How to remove dead Echiums – Invite a friend
The plants are so tall it’s a two-man job, especially if one of yours was angled into the greenhouse like mine. Also, it’s better to have control so the seeds don’t go everywhere.
Avoid allergic reactions
The tiny hairs on the stem and leaves are an irritant, hence the full body armour.
How to remove dead Echiums – Tools at the ready
You’ll need secateurs, loppers and a pruning saw. Work from the top down – place a tarpaulin under the plant unless you want millions of Echium babies seeding themselves everywhere (they will anyway – this is damage limitation). Cut through the main roots with a saw to make lifting the stump easier.
Avoid the compost heap – or gravel path
Either of these will become an Echium nursery. I made the mistake of taking one down single-handed, leaving the entire trunk to crash down the path. I pick new plants out every day. If you’re interested in growing Echiums, Plant World Seeds has an extensive range.
