Wednesday, September 29, 2021

NATURE FINDS A WAY

We might have stopped doing much in the scorching heat of Summer but apparently the weeds didn't...


This climbing vine is EVERYWHERE.  Here it is on the porch, taking over the railing and one of the posts. 


I guess I haven't used this rake and shovel in awhile, which makes them the perfect climbing posts...


Here's the rubbermaid cart that I've put about a hundred miles on over the last few years.  I think if we let it go longer, it would just be swallowed up and disappear into the earth, ha.

 In another time, it might be pretty and fun to let grow but it just goes crazy when we're not there to contain it.  None of this was bad a couple of weekends ago.  We don't even know what it is but it's prolific. Someday we might cultivate it in a special area and let it do its thing and enjoy the flowers but for now, it needs to go.
 
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of it, other than Roundup or something like that.  There are no other plants around it that we care about so is there anything homemade we can use to get rid of it?

25 comments:

  1. Bind weed/wild morning glory. Will take over,but butterflies/bees love it. I (personally) won't use Roundup,or any chemical weed killer. Lost my daughter to Lymphoma/Leukemia because her father was sprayed down with Agent Orange.

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    1. We never use roundup or anything like that just on general principle of not putting those toxins into our yard and even potentially the well water. So sorry about your loss, chemicals in the environment are such a problem.

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  2. Peg is correct ... you have MORNING GLORIES! If you read the Bee Haven Acres blog [Bev], she lost an arch to the weight of morning glories that ate up the arch! They are totally invasive and, in some states, listed as invasive weeds! Best way to get rid of them: PULLING THEM OUT OF THE GROUND! Do NOT use that poison Round-Up!! Oh, they reseed and they will keep coming back, so you have to be vigilant and pull, pull, pull!! LOL Good Luck with that ... or ... bring in some goats since they will eat anything!

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    1. We thought that might be what they were. I will have to check out that blog. That's interesting they are considered invasive in some places. We never use poison chemicals. I'll pull up and cut back. Might try vinegar or something. We'll have to see. Wish I knew some goats, ha. Rent-a-goat? LOL!

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    2. Actually, rent-a-goat is a thing in some places. :-)
      Be glad it's not kudzu.

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  3. morning glory! i've had them grow here like crazy one year and not come back the next. you can pull them like crazy, they come out easily and i actually like them and sometime i let them grow depending on where they pop up. this is the time of the year that they go crazy.

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    1. They are pretty but I can see how they will go crazy and could (CAN!) take over, ha. Not sure if I could keep them contained in one location it might be pretty but we'll see.

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  4. I actually planted some one year and they took over! It took me years to get rid of them. But they are pretty.

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    1. Yea I guess they can take over. If we did put them someplace on purpose we better be prepared to deal with it, ha.

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  5. I have the same problem and like you, I prefer not using weed killer. I pull them up.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Nothing wrong with manual labor. We just need to get them before they get out of control, ha.

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  6. Cut them back now before they go to seed, leaving just a few leaves and no flowers. Then, you won't need to work so hard to poison them with vinegar. Memorize the leaves and pull them up at first sight! I tried spraying a whole vine and it took forever just for spraying. Killing the roots will work better but through leaves. My beautiful wisteria spread like crazy. It was my fault because I like it. Never again.

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    1. Oh wisteria is so pretty (it won't grow here) but I have heard it's very invasive too. Thanks for the tips, you're right, learning the leaves so you can see it and go "OH HECK NO!" ha.

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  7. In a
    Australia ( Queensland anyhow) it is a dreadful pest called Morning Glory . Here it goes rampant like it has at your place. Years ago I wrote a blogpost about it here (https://helsieshappenings.blogspot.com/2011/11/morning-glory.html)It completely covers other vegetation and eventually smothers it. I think Roundup is the answer.

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    1. Yep, that's the same thing here (or at least a variety of it). I can see it covering the plants under it. So far it hasn't covered anything important but I can see that happening. Thanks for the tips!!

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  8. Here; we always called them wild sweet potato vine.
    With it's heart-shaped leaves; the vine can grow to over 70 feet in length and as much as eight inches a day. Because it cannot support its own weight, it climbs by twining up other plants to capture sunlight.
    It's going to take some work; but best bet is to pull them out and any tubers that fall off, pick them up as well and dispose of the vine and tubers by bagging or burning them right away. The vine will take over Everything and Anything.

    While the vines can be pulled up from the roots, even tiny tubers can shake loose and sprout new vines. Mowing and disturbing air potato vines can contribute to their spread by distributing the tubers over a wider area, so try to avoid doing so if at all possible.

    Speaking of the tubers, they can most easily be removed and destroyed during the winter months when the vine is dormant and the tubers are easier to spot. It's important to dispose of them properly so they don't spread, like bagging them up and throw away or by burning them. You will need to stay on top of the situation or they will continue to take over.

    Getting potato vine beetles will help A lot in getting rid most if not all of the vine. https://bcrcl.ifas.ufl.edu/airpotatofiles/airpotato-meet%20beetle.shtml

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  9. Looks like sweet potato vine. Dig up the sweet potatoes and harvest. I've got the same wild vine in my yard along with wild grapes. Pls do not use chemicals if you must remove. Round up is toxic.
    FL Master Gardener '08

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  10. It’s amazing that something with such pretty flowers can be such a pest. I have this and am constantly on the patrol so it doesn’t take over.

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  11. I agree that they're morning glories, but I love them. The ones called Heavenly Blues are amazing as are the Japanese ones called Mt.Fuji. I do grow them in barrels to control them. Sweet potato vines do produce very similar light purple flowers, but the leaves are usually lighter, more lime color. I have them too. They indeed have the tubers, unlike morning glories. <3 And do check out Bee Haven Acres - the loveliest blog! Mary

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  12. It is a morning glory. No need to panic. Ipomoea is another name.
    If it was a Bindweed, then you would be in trouble.

    Morning glories are rampant annual plants that reseed easily but they are not really a problem.

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  13. How to get rid? It is an annual vine. Just pull or cut them. There is no need to use chemicals of any kind.

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  14. You have morning glories, a very close relative of bindweed, more distantly related to sweet potato. Bindweed has smaller white or very pale pink flowers, and is more vigorous about coming back after being pulled, at least here in Iowa. Pulling can take several years for bindweed to give up. It's one of the few things I don't hesitate to use weed killer on, along with Canada thistle. IF I can get it far enough away from the desired plants.

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  15. Cut it back before it goes to seed and 'water' with a super hot water & vinegar combination. Be vigilant for reemergence.

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