How do I get rid of butterfly bushes?

[Belle]

We just moved into a house and this is our first time with a yard in our adult lives. My MIL has one butterfly bush that takes over her yard if not attacked every other month. My DH thought he killed it for her last summer but it is back in full force this spring.

This yard has four of the darned things. We want to plant some veggies in the prime spots they are taking up in our yard. The two of us spent several hours digging just one of them up yesterday. We tried getting the roots out but when you pull on the roots or limbs they disinegrate in your hands so I'm not sure if we got all the roots. There are splinters of the roots everywhere. We're not sure how to dispose of the roots or if we should take them to a recycling center to dispose of them. We know that composting them would be a bad idea. Plus, is there a better way to get rid of the plants then spending hours of backbreaking work digging a pit around the things?

Tips please?

[goldfinches]

I love butterfly bushes, but I've never seen one that's as large as you're describing. Are you sure that's what they are? Mine have never grown larger than about 3' -4' around.

Anyway...

If the roots are falling apart like that, sounds like it's already dead and rotting. If all you have left is roots, I can't imagine whole bushes will grow from them, I don't think they're so invasive. Are you planning to till the area for your garden? If so, you can pull out the extra roots after you do that.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by goldfinches

If the roots are falling apart like that, sounds like it's already dead and rotting.

Maybe so. Three of them had been cut back quite a bit kind of like roses. We dug up one of those. The fourth one has green on it. Maybe we'll work on that one later today.

Maybe we have a different variety than you do or something. We need to go to MIL's house and help her with hers again this year. It is very invasive.

[choosewisdom]

I have seen them on some invasive bushes lists due to their ability to re-seed themselves, but I haven't seen/read anything about them having good luck with regrowth from roots. I hope you have gotten them all, and hate to say, but I don't think there is an easier way to get rid of anything invasive without a lot of hard work.

I know my husband and myself have put in hours and hours to try to rid ourselves of some of the Bermuda Grass that is in our yard. I get downright angry when I see this WEED for sale at garden stores (mostly big box stores like Lowes/Home Depot...

Laura

[mattemma04]

I would keep digging it out,or cutting at soil level.Sounds like you want to use that spot now for a garden,otherwise I would suggest you cover the area with plastic to smother the plant and solarize it.Might still have time to so that before planting.Then build up the area with compost and soil.