Elephant ears next to above ground pool???

[pedsrn]

Does anyone have experience or advice with elephant ears being planted close to the pool? I planted some a few years back and they have thrived because they are close to the filter and where the backwash drains. They have moved under the deck toward the pool. Today I noticed one growing right up next to the edge of the pool. Are their roots destructive to the liner?

I really wanted to plant cane close to the pool and didn't because I know its roots can spread three feet or more underground. Everything I read said elephant ears were good landscape around a pool, however nothing mentions it growing AGAINST the pool. This year, I transplanted several banana trees within four or five feet of the pool. I pray I didn't mess up there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sevver]

Ya know, I have never really seen anything on what you can plant next to a pool. I try to just plant things that are not too invasive, and that have softer roots. Some grasses can get pretty crazy, but generally they seem to clump together. Elephant Ears, I don't know, I planted them once, but they did not grow. They had a hard bulb, but I just don't see a bulb growing too well under the pool. to me, all that will happen is that it will grow, find no light, and die.

 

[pedsrn]

Thanks for your reply. The ears I'm talking about are the root type. I do have some bulb on the other side of the pool; they don't seem to spread as quickly. The roots to the rooted ones are soft if that means anything. I guess I'll just leave them alone. We're probably looking at a new liner next year either way-got some weird things happening to the floor this year (bubbling and stuff). Thanks again!

 

[pd444]

pedsrn--

My wife and I run a small nursery (part time) in Florida and our AG pool is located at the nursery site. The previous owners had planted banana trees as close as 1 foot to the pool and never had any problems for 6-7 years. We've had the pool for three years and the number of trees has trebled since I've been taking care of them. If a volunteer comes up next to the pool I usually dig it up (BE SURE not to mess with the integrity of your pool on this step!) and move it back a couple of feet. I don't dig because of potential damage to the pool, but so I have unfettered access all the way around.

 

[sevver]

I agree, you should not let things come up too close to the pool. If something comes up right next to it, then dig it up and move it. That goes for anything though, rocks, sidewalks, houses...

 

[Ohm_Boy]

About that idea for planting cane... I wouldn't, but that's just me.

It will spread. Depending upon the species of Bamboo, a lot or a lot more, but it will spread. Farther than three feet. Some grow in clusters, some kinda sprint runners out, but it's all invasive and can be virtually impossible to eradicate. It can be as bad as Kudzu.

Some folks plant it and like it, but I still remember the "little patch" that my grandfather planted. He told me when I was a child that that he planted it because he wanted fishing poles. I remember that he kept a machete to keep it under control. That house has now had three (maybe four) families in it since, the backyard was razed when a roadway was built a short ways away, and it's been landscaped and terraced down to the right-of-way. That Dang bamboo is still fighting for control.