TheGardenLady received this question from Mary Anne.
My roommate bought some Round Up (gross, I know!) to spray on weeds, and she sprayed it all over some lovely yucca plants. 🙁 Despite my efforts to revive them through pruning off all the dead leaves and fertilizing and watering, they are sad little stumps that look quite dead. I am so sad! Do you have any idea if I might be able to save them?
Roundup is what is called a systemic weed killer. That means it goes down to the very tips of the roots of a plant to kill it. It doesn’t know which plant is good or what plant is bad. It just kills any plant it comes in contact with and is very effective in killing the plant.
That is why, whenever one buys any herbicide or pesticide product to use, you MUST!!!! READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PACKAGE CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY AS THE PACKAGE SAYS.
So, to answer your question: It is with regret that TheGardenLady has to say that she does not think you will be able to save your yucca plants. Roundup killed it all the way to the tips of its roots.
TheGardenLady has never used any herbicide on her property. She hates chemicals in her garden or lawn.
Now she knows that there are times when people have to use herbicides. TheGardenLady has been lucky that she hasn’t had to use any. She pulls her weeds by hand. Her garden isn’t as pristine as it could be; there are weeds. She would rather live with weeds than with chemicals in the soil or getting into the water in the stream on her property. Even poison ivy is pulled by hand- pulled carefully using plastic bags so that the ivy can not touch skin. She tries to get the poison ivy when it is young.
If TheGardenLady readers feel that they have to use a herbicide, PLEASE USE CAUTION! Remember that so many of yesteryear’s herbicides which were once considered safe- are now banned.
PS Thank you, Mary Anne, for enjoying TheGardenLady site. I love readers like you.