CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: Hello Linda, I have this plant up against our home foundation (I think it is called Yucca). I would like to remove it, but I have dug it up multiple times and still it comes back. How can I permanently remove it? Thank you so much! - Maura A: Hi Maura, Yes, that is Yucca, a very hard plant to get rid of. You will have to dig down about 3 feet to reach the base of the thick taproot. Do not leave anything behind. If it does grow back, cut it below the soil level and use cardboard or black plastic to cover the plants. Cutting back or covering any new leaves prevents photosynthesis; causing it to die from lack of nourishment. This idea also applies over winter. Yucca has evergreen leaves that will continue to photosynthesize and feed the roots, so make sure to dig it out or cut it below the soil level. Another option is to soak the area with water. Allow the soil in which the Yucca's are growing to become water- logged (especially before the ground freezes for the winter). Yucca usually thrives in very dry, sandy soil. Being surrounded with a water- logged soil will encourage the root to rot and help kill the plant from the root up. Good Luck. THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : Hello Linda , I have this plant up against our home foundation ( I think it is called Yucca ) . I would like to remove it , but I have dug it up multiple times and still it comes back . How can I permanently remove it ? Thank you so much ! - Maura A : Hi Maura , Yes , that is Yucca , a very hard plant to get rid of . You will have to dig down about 3 feet to reach the base of the thick taproot . Do not leave anything behind . If it does grow back , cut it below the soil level and use cardboard or black plastic to cover the plants . Cutting back or covering any new leaves prevents photosynthesis ; causing it to die from lack of nourishment . This idea also applies over winter . Yucca has evergreen leaves that will continue to photosynthesize and feed the roots , so make sure to dig it out or cut it below the soil level . Another option is to soak the area with water . Allow the soil in which the Yucca's are growing to become water- logged ( especially before the ground freezes for the winter ) . Yucca usually thrives in very dry , sandy soil . Being surrounded with a water- logged soil will encourage the root to rot and help kill the plant from the root up . Good Luck . THESE ARTICLES ARE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET