Those Wretched Vines

publication date: May 22, 2008

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author/source: Kate Copsey / STAFF

Vines are, in my opinion, the biggest weed problem in southern gardens. Between ivy, wisteria and honeysuckle I, and many others, have a major problem. Battling against these thugs of the garden takes time and persistence and even some chemicals.

Honeysuckle is out right now, with pretty yellow blooms and a very sweet smell. Like most vigorous vines, mine appears to grow a mile a minute, sending tendrils to grab at anything within range. This particular monster was planted to cover a wall, and has been growing for at least a decade. Over the years it has hidden broken pieces of disintegrating wall and more than a few vermin.

Wisteria presents another battle to be won. These beautiful vines are treasured in the North, but run amok in the warm South. Elegant purple blooms atop trees and utility poles illustrate how this vine is capable of climbing, and throttling other vegetation. Unfortunately most of the current wisteria was planted 30 or so years ago when the nuisance factor was unknown. This is ample time for this brutal vine to congregate along the whole length of the hedgerow.

Ivy is not quite such a pest in the garden as the other two, but it certainly needs to be kept in check. Left to its own this shade-loving groundcover will leap from the ground and start to climb trees, walls and other vertical structures. The tiny suckering claws make it difficult to remove ivy from any building and, consequently, although it might look attractive on Ivy League buildings, it is not recommended for your own house.

The problems with these vines is not just the overzealous growth habits, but also that they produce runners and new plants. The vines easily travel under driveways and other minor obstacles to grow a new plant when it hits daylight again. Once established the daughter plants will start to send out other runners and before you know it you have an invasion of unwanted vines popping up everywhere.

As with anything in the weed category the first method of removal should be to hand pull as much as you can. A good tug can unearth many feet of underground sections. My personal preference is to lay these offending pieces in the driveway until they bake in the sun. Then, when there is no hope of them recovering I put them into bags for disposal. This is not something for the compost pile where the cool damp medium will just encourage the thing to take on new life again!

Honeysuckle Vine – an invasive thug, with a pretty yellow, scented flower.

Poison ivy and other nasties can also hide inside the cover of vines, so always wear gloves and wash thoroughly after removing vines.

Truly persistent vines may have to be treated with chemicals to totally rid them from the property. This should always be done with caution, and always read the instructions before using. Several treatments may be needed for old vines that have thick underground sections, so be vigilant and ready to retreat over the next few seasons.

There is a definite sense of achievement when you pit yourself against a mass of vines. A large pile of freshly pulled vine on the driveway, and a planting bed revealed makes this one of those chores that can really make a difference in the garden