Porcelain Berry Vines and Roundup

[David Stone]

I’m starting to see a bunch of porcelain berry vines creeping into my landscaping. For various reasons, it’s difficult to get to the roots to pull them out. If I can isolate a few leaves and spray them with Roundup, will it kill the whole vine?

Thanks.

[JosephP]

There are very few plants that have developed resistance to RoundUp.  Otherwise, it is very effective when used appropriately.

Use at labeled rate.  Get good coverage on as many of the leaves as possible.  Sometimes the most effective way to do that is "paint" the leaves.

Give it a week or so.

[kencombs]

I've have very good success with the generic version of Roundup on our local invasive vine, Japanese Honeysuckle. Grows everywhere it's not wanted!
Rather than spraying, I cut the vine to a foot or so from the ground. Then dip the cut end in a little paper cup of straight (41%) glysophate. Works really well and uses very little of the product. And that's important since the price has escalated so much this year.

[David Stone]

Good advice.  Thanks.

[vernonator]

Not familiar with that variety of vine, if its just leafy foliage then just getting a few leaves will work. If its a woody stemmed variety (like multiflora rose, or raspberry) then cut it off at the ground and treat the cut with STRAIGHT undiluted Roundup, you may have to do this 1or 2 times but it will kill it.

One thing to be aware of is that the effects of Roundup CAN be transferred to other plants whose roots are in contact with the treated plant, something to watch for when trying to spot treat.

[Bill Tindall]

Roundup kills everything.  Brush and Broadleaf herbicides don't kill grass.  What to use depends on what you don't want to kill.

[vernonator]

Roundup kills everything.  Brush and Broadleaf herbicides don't kill grass.  What to use depends on what you don't want to kill.

Roundup does not kill everything in its normal concentrate, woody vines, shrubs, trees, etc are not affected. For brush I used a product called Crossbow to knock down wild grape, multiflora rose, wild raspberry, etc - all things Roundup would not touch.

[JosephP]

Roundup does not kill everything in its normal concentrate, woody vines, shrubs, trees, etc are not affected. For brush I used a product called Crossbow to knock down wild grape, multiflora rose, wild raspberry, etc - all things Roundup would not touch.

RoundUp is very effective against all of those things.  If you cover the leaves, it will knock it out.  We've killed a lot of multiflora rose, bush honeysuckle, privet, autumn olive, Japanese barberry, buckthorn, etc... with RoundUp at 2-3%.  Depending on the formulation, you may need a surfactant.  We use RoundUp Pro or RoundUp Custom (on wetland sites) both of which require a non-ionic surfactant be added.  It would be hard to get good coverage on a climbing grapevine so I can see the concern there.

Crossbow probably does do a better job.  Even better would be straight triclopyr not 'watered down' with 2, 4-D - name brand sold as Garlon 3 (restricted use in most States) or Garlon 4.

[Bill Tindall]

RoundUp is very effective against all of those things.  If you cover the leaves, it will knock it out.  We've killed a lot of multiflora rose, bush honeysuckle, privet, autumn olive, Japanese barberry, buckthorn, etc... with RoundUp at 2-3%.  Depending on the formulation, you may need a surfactant.  We use RoundUp Pro or RoundUp Custom (on wetland sites) both of which require a non-ionic surfactant be added.  It would be hard to get good coverage on a climbing grapevine so I can see the concern there.

Crossbow probably does do a better job.  Even better would be straight triclopyr not 'watered down' with 2, 4-D - name brand sold as Garlon 3 (restricted use in most States) or Garlon 4.

Crossbow is effective for most broadleaf plants.  Generic versions are cheap.  I buy it by the 2.5 gallon here for the farm to spray fence rows.  Doesn't kill the grass.  Available any farm supply store. 

[BrentDH]

I too have had good results by cutting the shrub at its "trunk" and applying straight concentrated round up to the newly exposed stump surface.  I try to apply it as soon as I cut it, before it has a chance to dry up and close it's "pores".  In other words if doing multiples, cut and apply, cut and apply, rather than cut, cut, cut, cut, apply, apply, apply, apply.  I would think this method would work on a vine the same as a shrub.