#Tuesday Tips, Kudzu.

Kudzu.

If you're fortunate, you haven't had this vine invade your property. If you haven't been so lucky, you know how quickly it covers any open space where it can seep. And if you have lived with it, you know how difficult it is to remove. Burning will only remove the young plants and freezing won't kill the deepest nodes (the heart of the root system). So how do you get rid of this pesty plant that can grow up to 12 FEET A DAY?

Here are 3 ways to kill and remove this unwanted creeper from your property (all three will involve getting your hands dirty, so get the gloves ready).

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Chemicals

Herbicides that contain triclopyr or glyphosate are great starts if deciding to go the chemical route. It is important to understand if your chemical is designed to kill weeds and grasses or just weeds. It will take multiple applications as the deeper crowns will still grow. Clean up the debris of the dead vines. As the ground becomes visible, you can locate the larger, base crowns and remove those.

Home Remedy

1 Gallon Vinegar

1 Cup of Salt

"Squirt" of Dishwashing Soup

Long, Hot, Day

Mix these ingredients together and apply generously. The same application and follow as the chemical method, removing dead debris, locating, and removing crowns. It is best to apply during a hot day, allowing the homemade chemical to work more efficiently.

Elbow Grease

This method is all effort. You will need a spade shovel, pickaxe, or diggers as the main crowns are deep and hard to simply dig out. It is the most laborious but the safest way to remove the crowns without damaging the soil if you have immediate plans for when the area is clean. Find an "end" and begin to pull, following the resistance. You are trying to locate the main crown. You should find smaller crowns along the way, destroy/cut those as they can become the main crown, and easily regrow. Locate the main crown and remove it, beware, it may be deep and hard to remove but removing and destroying these crowns are the only way to completely remove the plant.