Vigne Vierge

[frexpt]

We have decided to strip off the Virginia Creeper that is covering the front of the house we bought a few months back.  It looks like it has been there for years, but been left to become really unruly and more trouble to maintain that it was worth.

Anyway, we have got it down to ground level and started to dig out the roots.  From what I can make out so far, there were four main “trunks”, but these appear to emanate from a single root just to right of centre of the house.  I may be wrong, but I think it has spread underground and then climbed up the house at the four different points.  The main trunks are as thick as my arm, but easy enough to cut.....

My question is, if not possible to get all of the root out (I think it will be a big old mother), how best to kill it?

[Loiseau]

Wait for some nice juicy fresh leaves to appear, and then spray them with glyphosate (eg Roundup).  It kills the plant through the leaves, so you have to wait a week or so to see the effect.

Don't get the spray on anything else in the vicinity that you do NOT want to kill, though!

Angela

[frexpt]

Very good,  I'll try that!  I thought I might have to resort to diesel fuel or creosote or the like!!

[Pierre ZFP]

Since this is a very large specimen it will probably need several applications to finish it off.

Even so, it has a remarkable tendency to spring up elsewhere.  You just have to keep at it.

I'm not a fan of Roundup but this is one of those times when it probably is best.

A way to use it is to get a jam jar and put some solution in it then dip some of the leaves in the jar so they can absorb the solution and take it down into the roots. This way you can leave it for weeks if necessary to kill it all off.

[woolybanana]

[quote user="Loiseau"]Wait for some nice juicy fresh leaves to appear, and then spray them with glyphosate (eg Roundup).  It kills the plant through the leaves, so you have to wait a week or so to see the effect.
Don't get the spray on anything else in the vicinity that you do NOT want to kill, though!

Angela
[/quote]

Vicious Angela, vicious, sounds like you speak from hard, blistered experience!

[Tony F Dordogne]

Get some of the stump killer which is available at most of the bricos.  Make a split in the bit above ground, long ways and open it up then pour some of the stump killer into the split and let it do its work.  Ignore the instructions, just use it neat but wear gloves when you do it.

Trust me, it's a good way of killing this off and not reliant on the leaves!

[Grumpy]

Ignore the instructions, just use it neat but wear gloves when you do it.?????

Most brushwood killers contain some 2,4,D or 2-4-5T both of which are not to be messed with so DON'T ignore the instructions please! And please don't put irresponsible postings on the forum

Re. Roundup aplications.  Most modern herbicides act by the agent being absorbed through the minute breathing holes in the leaf surface.  The droplets in the spray will be absorbed quickly as there is little or no surface tension. At the correct dilution rate this is much better than plunging a few leaves in water where the syrface tension will hold back absorbtion.

Grumpy

[Loiseau]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

... sounds like you speak from hard, blistered experience!

[/quote]

You bet, Wooly!

I don't like resorting to RoundUp, but sometimes it's the only way.

Angela