Here' s a pic of the vine...

[Phil Phelps]

Here is what the little bugger looks like. I hope someone recognizes this vine. I'ts drivin' me nuts!!!

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Phil, the photo appears to be as I suspected, the dreaded Kudzu Vine. There are Websites dedicated to this Vine on the internet, both touting the medicinal benefits of the plant, and also showing you how destructive it can be. This Vine is hard to eradicate, and it has been known to completely envelope large tracts of woodland, and smother every living thing, including large trees. I ran across a website once that showed houses and barns completely covered with the vine. The Vine is native to Asia, and it is spreading throughout the States. There are some fairly heavily infested areas in Illinois. I have a buddy who has 18 acres, and he has a few areas of Kudzu. Last summer, we cut it down, and we brushed Tordon on the stump, and so far, so good. There is another chemical that is used for this also, but the name escapes me. I will find out, and post it here. I would contact your Area Cooperative Extension Service, or any Agriculture Department at a University, they should be able to help you eradicate it. Be warned, it is extremely tough to kill, but it can be done.

[Bruce Page]

Phil, From what I can tell, that looks like the vine we brought home from the nursery, hidden in with a lilac bush. We fought with it for 2 years, pulling runners that had run 10 feet into the lawn. We finally gave up and sprayed it along with the lilac bush that it was intertwined with. It took a few applications of Triox, but we finally won the battle.


Some mornings it just doesn’t seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps. -- Emo Phillips

[Phil Phelps]

Originally posted by Kevin Gersty Phil, the photo appears to be as I suspected, the dreaded Kudzu Vine.

Kevin, I do hope your wrong. My neighbor has visited Iowa several time since he remarried in the last few years. He has told me of the vine, but they both don't think it is. If it isn't, it'll give Kudzu a run for it's money.

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Kudzu has taken over much of the Mississippi River Delta. They even gave up and started a Kudzu Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Show me a close up. I don't think from your photo it's Kudzu. I'm not sure it thrives north of say Middle Tennessee.

However, I can't tell you how to eradicate it. Have you tried Brush Be Gone? I have eliminated a lot of vines including poison ivy on my house. It does come back but a little follow up spaying gets it under control.

[John Christiansen]

If it's Kudzu.............Here's a copy/paste...............
Dr. James H. Miller
has researched various methods for combating kudzu for over eighteen years. He is happy to discuss kudzu control problems with anyone, and can make helpful recommendations for specific situations. He has also co-authored many publications on kudzu control. Dr. Miller was honored as Weed Scientist of the Year in 1999.

U. S. Forest Service
Devall Drive
Auburn University, AL 36849
334/826-8700
E-Mail: miller@forestry.auburn.edu

[Lee Schierer]

Ah you have a version of vine that was first used in a cheap Japanese movie that came out right after the Godzilla movies. They were going to use it in a movie, but the starlett kept getting a rash. This vine was subected to radiation when the Chernobal power plant burnt down. The reason you can't kill it is because the roots go all the way to Russia, where it is still feeding off the nuclear residue.

Your only hope is to locate a Mothra larvae and tie it in your backyard near the vine. It will munch down the vine as fast as it grows. Of course a side effec of this plan is tha when the larvae pupates you will have a full size mothra in your back yard and it will attract all sorts of Japanese tourists with their cameras wanting to get their picture taken in front of it.

[Dave Arbuckle]

Leaves look kind of small for Kudzu, but there isn't that much there for scale. My Grandfather was a Tree Farm Inspector in Mississippi, I've seen a fair bit of that evil plant. Been a few years though.

I've never heard of it making it way out here? http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~butler/foragesoftexas/species/kudzu.html says it is "only adapted to high rainfall areas of extreme east Texas"

Dave
Weak in the knees just thinking about Kudzu. My Grandfather didn't curse, but said that word as though it was one...

[Stan Smith]

Your solution was both original and humorous. I was also thinking, Hey, goats eat everything, don't they?" But then I remembered that there had been chubacabra sitings in Texas so it might be too safe for the goats.

Seriously, your Deft recommendation sure works great on turnings, too. Just put it on, turn on the lathe and burn it in with a clean cloth. 3 coats work great and are done in just a few minutes.

Stan