Growings On: Managing pesky vines

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Native or ornamental vines like English ivy as well as kudzu and poison ivy can become a weed problem if left unchecked. They might start with ornamental value but can quickly become a landscape pest. Other less desirable vines like Virginia creeper, while annoying to us, are important sources of food for wildlife.

In a perfect world, all of these would be maintained or removed as small, immature plants before they become a big, green monster. Unfortunately, many people buy property that already has vines rambling through flower beds and climbing up anything that they can reach. Sometimes these vines were planted by the previous property owner as an ornamental but with lack of care unsupervised ornamentals have taken over.

Whatever the reason, if you have a vine that you are trying to get rid of there are a few tactics that could assist your efforts. First, try regaining control of the vine before removing. Certain plants such as English ivy and Virginia creeper can be easily brought under control with a little pruning. Many of these plants can take years to reach the stature they have achieved. They don’t become a problem overnight, and even the mighty kudzu can take years to cover a tree canopy. Things to consider: What will replace it when it is gone? Is the vine really that big of a problem? Can it be brought down to a manageable size by pruning?

If you still insist removal is your only option there are two methods to remove the plant, physical removal and/or the use of herbicides. The effort of physical removal will vary depending on the plant. A well-established wisteria can be difficult to remove, sometimes requiring the use of heavy equipment to totally remove it, or else work over multiple seasons. On the other side of the spectrum, a young crossvine can be easily removed by simply pulling it out.

If you are not opposed to the use of herbicides, a combination of both control measures can sometimes be the best plan of attack. Many vines, like wisteria, kudzu and English ivy, can be partially controlled by simply cutting the vines a few inches above the ground and painting the fresh cut stem with a herbicide containing glyphosate (i.e., Roundup, 41% active or above) or triclopyr (i.e., Brush-B-Gone).

Always use these products according to label directions to ensure proper mixing and application. The degree of control will depend on the time of year treated (fall applications are generally better) and plant species treated. Some re-growth can occur, and if it does, wait until the shoots are six to 12 inches long and repeat treatment with your herbicide of choice. With any herbicide application, you can use cardboard to prevent over-spray of the solution from contacting plant foliage and stems you want to keep.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brenda Jackson at Murray County Extension at (706) 695-3031 or bljack@uga.edu.